«I can't make 10 changes!»: Mourinho after the match where Rayo Vallecano was defeated

In the 5th round of the Spanish La Liga, Madrid's "Real" club showed a confident revenge in front of their fans at their home ground — the magnificent "Santiago Bernabeu" stadium. Drawing the right conclusions from the unfortunate defeat in the previous round, the "royal club" achieved a major and bright 4:1 victory by scoring four unanswered goals against "Rayo Vallecano" in a match of mini-derby status. After the end of the match, the experienced coach of the Madrid team, Jose Mourinho, participated in a press conference and gave an objective assessment of his players' actions. The Portuguese specialist revealed the reasons for the intense tempo in the first half, the drop in the second half, the physical condition of stars like Jude Bellingham and Denzel Dumfries, as well as the substitution of Federico Valverde. So, what was the scenario of the game at the "Bernabeu", what worried Mourinho in the second half, and what pace is "Real" taking in the La Liga title race?

"We settled the matter in the first half": Mourinho's statement about the victory

Real Madrid head coach explained the strategic importance of the match in an interview with local publication AS:

• Precious 3 points after the defeat: "It was extremely important to win. Especially after the defeat in the last round of the championship, it was necessary to boost the team psychologically," the coach emphasized;

• The game decided in the first 45 minutes: "We settled the fate of the game back in the first half. But we couldn't show a great game in the second half. Here it's not just about physical preparation, but also psychological aspects";

• Tactical changes and control: Mourinho added that by throwing fresh forces into the center of the midfield, he maintained stability on the field and that his pupils deserved his high respect and applause.

"We score a lot, but we waste a lot of chances": Analysis of the team's play

Dwelling on "Real's" attacking philosophy and intensity on the pitch, the Portuguese specialist also openly noted the shortcomings:

• Intense and fast pressing: "We are a team that completely controls the ball, fiercely wrests the ball from the opponent and transitions into a quick attack," the coach described the team's main style;

• The problem of capitalizing on chances: Mourinho was somewhat dissatisfied that although the team scored four goals, they wasted a number of created dangerous chances;

• Satisfaction with the victory: In any case, he did not hide that the 4:1 score on the scoreboard and the 3 points gained brought satisfaction to the coach.

The problem of Jude, Dumfries, Konate and Valverde: Is there a risk of fatigue?

The tightness of the calendar is putting a physical toll on the team's main stars:

• It's impossible to make 10 changes: "Everyone saw how Jude (Bellingham) finished the game, Dumfries, Konate... I can't make 10 changes in the lineup all at once," Mourinho said, hinting at signs of fatigue in the players;

• Precautionary measure for Valverde: Touching upon the substitution of Federico Valverde: "This was a precautionary measure. He had developed certain problems and we had to solve this in time," explaining that the risk of injury was prevented;

• Success in the intense interval: The coach highly praised the fact that just three days after an extremely difficult and tight game, his team found strength again and won by a large score.

This confident victory at the "Santiago Bernabeu" served to restore "Real's" position in the domestic championship and treat their fans to another goal fest. However, the tight calendar and physical loads of the stars are setting new rotation tasks for the coaching staff.

In your opinion, does "Real Madrid" under Jose Mourinho have enough reserve strength to win the main trophies of La Liga and the UEFA Champions League this season? What rotation should the team use in upcoming matches to protect leaders like Valverde and Bellinghem from fatigue? Leave your thoughts in the comments and share this analysis of "Real's" major victory and Mourinho's statement with all football fans and madridistas!