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A hard-fought European victory
Madrid secured a hard-fought 3-2 victory against AEK Athens on matchday four of the Champions League. Following the tense triumph at the OPAP Arena, Mourinho spoke to the media, offering fascinating insight into his team's overall performance and his specific man-management strategies.
Mourinho on managing Vinicius
The most intriguing takeaway from Mourinho's post-match press conference was his candid explanation of how he handles Brazilian winger Vinicius. When asked if he uses a firm or soft hand with the talented forward, Mourinho offered a precise breakdown of his managerial methods.
"I would say, trying to imagine a percentage, so far, 80 per cent with the right (soft hand) and 20 per cent with the left (firm hand)," Mourinho explained on the club's official website.
Balancing the squad dynamics
Mourinho also shed light on his wider tactical setup, particularly regarding Yan Diomande's impressive versatility across the Los Blancos frontline. He noted that Diomande was brought to the Spanish capital specifically to operate on both wings, allowing for fluid attacking rotations alongside Vinicius.
"Vinícius didn’t provoke anything," Mourinho admitted. "Diomande comes to Real Madrid more to be a player who can play on both wings rather than solely on one. Diomande doesn’t care at all. He plays with different characteristics, but being on the right or left doesn’t change anything for him.
"Vini had a very acceptable match - not an extraordinary one, but the team didn’t have an extraordinary match. The team had a tough, serious game, and Vinícius, in that line, performed very well. Obviously, when it’s time to make changes in a match with an uncertain result, I have to think about the result, but at the same time, I have to think a little about Valencia; taking off Diomande and not Vinícius; taking off Bernardo [Silva] and not [Eduardp] Camavinga, because Tchouameni will play in Valencia. When making some changes, I also considered the match we have on Saturday."
Focus shifts to Valencia clash
Madrid will now shift their immediate focus back to domestic matters as they prepare for a crucial Liga fixture. Mourinho's side are scheduled to travel to the Mestalla to face Valencia this Saturday.