Real Madrid News
Braga defender praises Real Madrid forward ahead of UCL clash: “Demands 100% of you”
When Real Madrid faced SC Braga last month, the game was nowhere near as one-sided as many expected it to be. The Portuguese opposition were indeed relatively new to the big stage but did not show any nerves going up against the record champions.
Braga pushed Real Madrid to the limit, even creating a higher xG tally in the process. Notably, they were without the services of one of their key cogs, Victor Gomez, on the night.
The Spanish defender has made eight starts for Braga in Liga Portugal this season but suffered an injury late in September that kept him out of action for over a month. He is back in the squad now and will face Real Madrid in the return fixture later tonight.
Speaking ahead of the game against Carlo Ancelotti’s men, Gomez praised Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr and the threat he created in the game.
“Vinícius is an incredible player. He demands 100% of you. Every time he has the ball, he will try to take on you. As a team, we have to do things very well so that those situations happen as little as possible.”
“Each player has his game. I will try to make my game so that I can cover him in the best possible way,” he added on how he hoped to neutralise the Brazilian’s impact.
The defender also spoke on the special occasion that awaited him, for he is returning to his home country and playing in arguably the biggest stadium it nestles.
“It is true that it is a special match for me because I am in Spain. The team is very aware of what they have to do. We come with a lot of desire to face this match to take the three points,” he said.
Finally, the Braga defender gave his two cents on how they would approach the game against Los Blancos, saying,
“We have mutual respect for Real Madrid and they for us. The Portuguese league has grown a lot in recent years and Braga, much more. It is a very positive thing that they respect us and we have to respect them.”
Source: Mundo Deportivo
Real Madrid News
Mourinho reacts to Vinicius suspension: “Why announce it two hours before an important match?”
Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has questioned the RFEF Disciplinary Committee’s decision to announce Vinicius Jr.’s four-match suspension just hours before their UEFA Champions League meeting with AS Roma on Wednesday.
The Brazilian has been hit with a four-match ban for his red card against Villarreal, meaning he will miss the matches against Sevilla, Barcelona, Racing Santander, and Valencia.
And, speaking to Movistar+ (h/t MARCA) before the match, the Real Madrid manager was asked whether the punishment could affect the Brazilian psychologically.
Mourinho instead turned his attention to the football authorities and the timing of their announcement.
“I think that is a question for the Committee. Why have they announced the suspension at this particular moment? If you are asking me this question, it is presumably because you think it could affect him,” the Portuguese coach replied.
“You should ask the Committee why they did not announce it this morning, or tomorrow morning. Why do they do it two hours before a match that is important for Real Madrid, which is a Spanish club?” he added, questioning the timing of the decision.
Mourinho explains his tactical approach against Roma
The Real Madrid manager also outlined his plan for facing a Roma side known for their aggressive pressing.
“My intention is to stop them from pressing us so high up the pitch, given the players we have available and as a precaution,” he said.
Continuing, the Portuguese manager added: “They press man-to-man higher up the pitch better than anyone else, and we will see whether we can take advantage of that. If not, they will have to drop their press five or ten metres.”
Why Rudiger over Huijsen
Mourinho also justified his decision to start Antonio Rudiger at centre-back alongside Ibrahima Konate rather than Dean Huijsen.
“They played very well together in the last match, Rudiger and Konate, showing great leadership and the ability to withstand a difficult situation when we had ten men for 30 minutes,” he said.
“I am not saying Dean is not capable of playing a match like this, but this is a wonderful atmosphere for Roma and a difficult one for us. I think a player with Antonio’s experience can be important,” Mourinho added.
Finally, Mourinho was asked about his emotions ahead of returning to face Roma, the club he managed between 2021 and 2024.
The Portuguese coach offered a brief response, saying that he had his feelings about the occasion “blocked”.
