Jose Mourinho has offered a revealing glimpse into how he is managing Real Madrid’s squad ahead of Tuesday’s trip to Elche, with the Portuguese coach stressing that improvement, player development and balance matter as much as the immediate result.

Mourinho was unequivocal about his priority for the match, stating, “I want to win; I’d like to play well and win.”

That answer was followed by more detail on several of his key players, including Vinicius Jr., Arda Guler and Aurelien Tchouameni, while the manager also addressed the demands being placed on his squad during a congested period.

Mourinho wants more from Vinicius

The Real Madrid boss believes Vinicius can still produce another level, particularly in front of goal.

“His best form is when he scores. Providing assists is important, working for the team is very important, his day-to-day work is important, and he does it very well… But there’s another side to Vinicius. 

“A Vinicius who arrived at Benfica last year and who, given a chance, scored a goal and went home. He’s lacking that top-class performance.”

Mourinho was considerably more enthusiastic when discussing Guler, praising the midfielder’s physical transformation and influence on matches.

“There are people better qualified than me to talk about his development. Physically, he’s been transformed, but for me his quality of play is incredible – his vision, his organisation of the game… 

“For me, he’s a lad with fantastic potential and very impressive statistics. He’s a player who has a huge influence on the game, but I don’t want to go so far as to say ‘top, top, top’ three times – though I can certainly say ‘top, top’.”

Tchouameni’s return will be carefully managed

Mourinho also confirmed that Tchouameni will feature against Elche, although his minutes will be controlled after a gradual return.

“I’m thinking in terms of minutes. Against Inter he played 10–15, and we were all a bit unsure. Against Rayo we went up to 20–25. 

“In the next few matches we’ll increase that further. He’s getting better and better; he’s feeling stronger and more confident. He’ll play tomorrow. At the moment, I can’t tell you for how long.”

That cautious approach extends to international duty, with Mourinho urging France to avoid excessive physical demands on the midfielder.

“As for the national teams, I don’t know what Zidane’s thinking is. Nor do I know what’s best for him. 

“The best approach is a controlled approach to international duty, rather than piling on the minutes and the physical demands… 

“I haven’t spoken to Zidane, but I think he’s a man of common sense and will know how to handle it best.” 

Mourinho sees squad depth as Real Madrid’s advantage

The manager also explained why players such as Yan Diomande face an uphill battle for regular starts at Madrid, despite having the quality to play elsewhere.

“He’s got everything he needs. If, instead of being at Real Madrid, he were at another club, he’d be a first-team regular and play the full 90 minutes. 

“We’ve got a very strong squad here. There’s Vinicius, Brahim, Arda, and Rodrygo coming in January… It’s hard to talk about an undisputed first-team regular at Real Madrid.”

Mourinho also explained that his midfield can change shape without changing its identity.

“We need to look at how we work overall with Cucurella and Carreras, with Dumfries and Trent, the centre-backs… We’re working to get the whole squad on the same page, because that has a huge impact on day-to-day operations. 

“The midfielders also get involved, and we can play with a ‘6’ and two ‘8s’, or the other way round. We’re prepared for all of this. 

“We can change players and roles, but the game plan and the dynamics don’t change. We always try to find a balance without losing our identity.” 

Lastly, Mourinho refused to be drawn into Lamine Yamal’s Ballon d’Or comments, stating, “I can’t comment on everyone’s statements. I respect a player’s comments.”

Source: MARCA