Real Madrid News
‘He strikes a fantastic balance between…’ – Alvaro Morata explains why Mourinho is the perfect man for Real Madrid
As discussion continues around Jose Mourinho’s expected return to the Santiago Bernabeu, former Real Madrid forward Alvaro Morata has offered a glowing endorsement of the Portuguese coach, while also sharing a personal story that explains why he still holds him in such high regard.
Speaking to AS, Morata looked back on the moment his path first crossed with Mourinho’s during the coach’s first spell in Madrid.
What began as a brief encounter at Valdebebas when Mourinho was in charge of Inter Milan eventually led to one of the biggest opportunities of his career.
“There’s a lovely story. Ahead of Inter’s Champions League final against Bayern at the Bernabeu, they went to train at Valdebebas the day before.
“I remember my team and I were there, and we had our photo taken with Mourinho before training started, and I was left watching the whole session on my own.
“He came over and said to me: ‘You’re the only one who’s stayed behind. Maybe we’ll see each other soon.’”
That brief exchange turned out to be more meaningful than Morata could have imagined. The former Spain international continued,
“I went on holiday with my family; I’d just arrived in Marbella when Chendo rang me and said: ‘Listen, you have to go to America with the first team.’
“I thought it was a joke, but it was Mourinho – I’d signed for Madrid and he’d called me up for pre-season.
“I made my debut for Madrid, started playing matches with them, and he gave me that opportunity – you never forget something like that.”
Backing Mourinho for success
Years after making his professional debut under Mourinho’s command, Morata was asked whether Mourinho would be a good fit for Real Madrid again, to which he left little doubt about his opinion.
“He’s a phenomenon. Nobody can imagine how funny he is in private, up close. Whenever I see him, we have a good laugh together.
“He strikes a fantastic balance between being an incredible motivator and a great team manager.
“Wherever he’s been, he’s always won or come close. And at Madrid, where they need to win all the time, I think he’ll do very well.”
On Real Madrid exit
Morata’s support carries weight because he experienced both sides of life at Real Madrid.
The striker also reflected on his own journey at the club, admitting that competition for places ultimately influenced his departures.
Looking back on his first exit, he explained, “I left to make a name for myself, to carve out a legacy, and because, at the time, I wasn’t playing much at Madrid and then a club like Juve came along – for whom I was the most important signing in recent times.”
He later returned under Zinedine Zidane but found himself competing with one of the club’s modern greats.
While speaking about his tenure under the former manager, he added,
“It was incredible too. Zidane was there. I scored 20 or 21 goals and everything was going really well. But it was the same as when I left the first time:
“I had a machine up front in Benzema and it was difficult to take his place.”
Real Madrid News
Inter Milan boss Chivu praises Mourinho ahead of Real Madrid showdown: ‘A special person’
Inter Milan head coach Cristian Chivu has described Jose Mourinho as “a special person” ahead of Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League meeting with Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The Romanian spent two seasons playing under Mourinho at Inter between 2008 and 2010, a period that culminated in the club winning the Champions League at the very same stadium in 2010.
A serial winner
Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Chivu reflected warmly on his former manager.
“He’s a special person who I was lucky enough to meet in my life. He gave me important help during a difficult period of my life, and I’ll never forget that,” Chivu said, as quoted by Mundo Deportivo.
Chivu also praised Mourinho’s ability to influence the teams he manages and instil his mentality in his players.
“He’s very good at immersing himself in the reality of the team he represents and transmitting his mentality. He’s a winner who knows how to communicate things at the right moment. Very few people know how to do that like he does,” he said.
“He has won everywhere he has been, and I’m sure Real Madrid will have a great season.”
Despite his admiration for Mourinho, Chivu insisted that the Portuguese has not served as a template for his own coaching career.
Asked whether he takes inspiration from his former manager, the Inter boss replied: “I’ve never copied anyone. I have my own idea of football, which has been built through my years as a player and as a coach.”
Chivu assesses Mourinho’s Real Madrid
Chivu believes it is still too early to draw firm conclusions about Mourinho’s return to Real Madrid.
“It’s still very early. It has been a fairly balanced start, although they lost their last match undeservedly because they played very well,” he said.
“They’re a team with a great history and a coach who knows how to do things.”
“Playing at the Bernabeu is not easy for anyone”
With Mourinho in the dugout and Chivu in defence, Inter defeated Bayern Munich in the 2010 Champions League final at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The now-Inter manager believes returning to the stadium where they lifted the trophy 16 years ago will provide a special occasion, although he knows the challenge facing his team.
“The stadium has been renovated and it’s even more beautiful. It has a great tradition and today it’s more beautiful and more modern. We like playing a Champions League match in this stadium,” he said.
“Playing at the Bernabeu is not easy for anyone. Inter haven’t won here for 60 years. We’ll do everything possible and we want to show that we’re competitive and that we have the desire to dominate.
“There’s no perfect way to play against Real Madrid because they have players who can make the difference regardless of the plan you have.”
Inter arrive in Madrid after recovering from a difficult game against Napoli, while Chivu prepares to face the coach who played such an important role in his career.
