Real Madrid News
Former Real Madrid striker calls Vinicius a “lost cause” in brutal assessment of his attitude
Real Madrid may have started their La Liga campaign with three points against Espanyol, but Fernando Morientes believes there are still important questions for Jose Mourinho to answer.
Speaking on El Partidazo de COPE, the former Real Madrid striker looked beyond the result and assessed the team’s early-season structure.
While he was largely satisfied with the attacking options available to Mourinho, Morientes identified midfield as an area that could become a concern as the campaign progresses.
But the strongest part of his analysis came when the conversation turned to Vinicius Junior.
Morientes worries about Real Madrid’s midfield
For Morientes, it is too early to make final judgments about Mourinho’s Real Madrid.
The team has already had to cope without important players in the midfield, meaning the manager has not yet had his preferred options available.
However, Morientes believes the picture is clearer in attack.
Arda Guler’s role on the right has helped give Real Madrid a more settled attacking structure, and the former striker believes Mourinho has enough quality to feel comfortable about his forward line.
“As for the front four, I think it’s all sorted, barring any unexpected injuries.”
The midfield is a different story.
Morientes believes Real Madrid have lacked a genuine playmaker for the last two seasons, and he feels the team still need to manage their midfield resources carefully over a demanding campaign.
Discussing Bernardo Silva, he explained where he sees the Portuguese midfielder making the biggest impact:
“I prefer Bernardo Silva to play a bit further forward, a bit like Modric, who used to push forward and get in behind the defence.
“He’s a very intelligent player, not so much for scoring goals, but for delivering that final pass.”
More to the story
Morientes’ concern is not limited to the quality of Real Madrid’s midfield, as he is also looking at the demands of the season.
With a packed fixture schedule ahead, Mourinho will need to rotate his players effectively, particularly experienced figures.
Morientes hopes the squad do not become short of options in the position where he believes Real Madrid have lacked a specialist profile for some time.
“I hope the team doesn’t end up short-handed in that position, because for the last two years the team has lacked a playmaker.”
Morientes’ verdict on Vinicius
The discussion became more direct when Vinicius’ attitude was brought into focus.
Morientes first acknowledged that footballers mature at different speeds and that development is not always straightforward.
“Players go through a process of maturing, just like children; there comes a time when some mature earlier, whilst others mature later.”
But he then sided with Santiago Cañizares, who had previously criticised Vinicius over his behaviour during matches.
“As things stand, I’m jumping on the Cañete bandwagon and see him as a lost cause, and I think that’s what drives him,” he concluded.
Real Madrid News
Real Madrid star Huijsen credits Mourinho for improved form in new season: ‘He supports me a lot’
Real Madrid will be looking to get back to winning ways in LaLiga as they take on Rayo Vallecano on Saturday.
The club are coming on the back of a 1-0 defeat to Real Betis last weekend but did secure a narrow win over Inter Milan in the midweek Champions League fixture.
Heading into this game, Dean Huijsen, who has been showing a lot of promise in these early parts of the season, spoke to the club’s official media about the match ahead and how Real Madrid have been coping with the pressure early on, among other things.
Huijsen on Rayo and his defensive duties
The young centre-back was fully aware of the threat posed by Rayo and praised the opposition.
“We know that Rayo is a good team, and it’s a tough team to face, and we must give our all as we do in all matches to secure the three points, that’s the only thing that matters, and for the Bernabeu to be with us and for us all to be united,” he said.
He also detailed the defensive demands placed on him by the coaching staff led by Jose Mourinho.
“Well, what every coach asks of you: ferocity, intercepting balls, and winning one-on-one duels. He supports me a lot, and I think this helps me greatly, and defending together as a team,” he said.
On the team’s preparations for the fixture, Huijsen offered an insight into their training routine.
“We’re working on some tactics related to the opponent. And well, after that it depends on the day; we might play a mini-match among ourselves or not,” he added.
Huijsen on Mourinho and his fine form
The Spaniard was quick to credit Mourinho, with whom he previously worked at Roma, for his development and current level.
“We’ve known each other for a while, even though we spent a relatively short time together in Rome. He gave me the opportunity to make the real leap into professional football, and I’ll always be grateful to him for that,” Huijsen said.
Reflecting on his own performances, the defender was in confident mood, once again pointing to the influence of his coach and teammates.
“I think I’m in good shape. Well, I think I’m delivering a good level, and I believe that’s thanks to the coach too, as he keeps track of me and takes great care of me.”
“Well, I’m also doing my very best, and I think the teammates are supporting me too, and this is the perfect equation,” he added.
Finally, Huijsen explained how he manages his recovery amid a congested schedule.
“There are a lot of matches, so we need to recover well and stay focused on football, then you have to sleep well. And yes, on the days after the match, I also take a cold shower and a hot shower to recover better,” he concluded.
