Real Madrid prepare to face Atletico Madrid in Sunday's capital derby amid a striking change to Jose Mourinho's schedule. The Portuguese coach has decided to delay his media appearance until after the team's training session, set for Saturday morning at Valdebebas.
Real Madrid train at half past ten on Saturday morning, while Mourinho holds his press conference at half past three in the afternoon. That leaves a gap of around five hours after training ends, unusual timing compared to his programme ahead of previous matches. The derby kicks off at the Metropolitano on Sunday at 4:15 in the afternoon.
According to "Sport", the change is drawing attention, especially as the gap between training and the press conference coincides with the Intercontinental Cup Under-20 final between Real Madrid and Santiago Wanderers, which kicks off on Saturday afternoon at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Clear interest from Mourinho in the youth sector
Since returning to Real Madrid, Mourinho has shown growing interest in following the youth teams. On 5 September he made a point of attending the match between Castilla and Juventud Torremolinos at the Alfredo di Stefano stadium, accompanied by a number of his backroom staff. He also handed several academy players the chance to feature during the preparation period and praised their levels.
The Portuguese coach spoke positively about the Castilla players, saying: "I like all the players I receive from Castilla", a nod to his interest in promoting elements from the reserve team to the first team.
This policy comes amid the absence of Tiago Pitarch, one of the most prominent players in the youth team, from the Intercontinental Cup Under-20 final, after he entered Mourinho's sphere of interest for the first team.
Residential camps return to the fore
Mourinho has also revived talk about gathering the players before matches, a policy he relied on repeatedly during his first spell with Real Madrid, especially before games at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Previously the Portuguese coach explained that the matter is not necessarily linked to sleeping together, but rather to mental focus and preparation for the match. He said: "Sleeping or not sleeping depends on the situation".
On one occasion, during the build-up to the match against Malaga, Real Madrid held a tactical meeting and the players ate together. Most then returned to their homes and resumed their programme the following day, reflecting Mourinho's flexibility in dealing with these details.