Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho described his team’s 4-1 victory over Rayo Vallecano as a game of two distinct halves, explaining that the squad lacked the physical and mental energy to maintain their first-half intensity.
Match Summary
Kylian Mbappe opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 14th minute. Alvaro Carreras doubled the lead three minutes later, and Jude Bellingham added a third in the 35th minute. Sergio Camello pulled one back for Rayo Vallecano in the 51st minute, before Mbappe completed the scoring in the first minute of stoppage time with his second goal of the night.
Mourinho’s Assessment
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Mourinho said:
“It was a 45-minute match. Things ended there, and there is nothing more to say. I knew the team did not have the physical or mental strength to play the second half at the same level as the first.”
He added: “The best image to explain what I mean is Jude Bellingham’s play in the last ten minutes. Energy is not only physical, it is also mental. We dropped in concentration and sharpness, made mistakes, and lost the ball while building attacks.”
Mourinho continued: “I expected the game to go this way given our experience in the Champions League. The goal was to start strong and finish the match quickly, and we succeeded in that.”
Progress and Squad Competition
The Portuguese coach expressed satisfaction with the team’s development, saying: “I am happy because we have been working together for three months, although we were not fully together until the players who took part in the World Cup semi-finals and final returned.”
He added: “You cannot build a near-perfect team in three days, three months, or even three years. What we are doing so far has many positive aspects, and we are trying to improve gradually.”
Regarding competition for starting positions, Mourinho stressed that the quality of Real Madrid’s squad forces him to make difficult decisions. He expects questions to continue in every match about which players start and which are left out.