Mourinho: “A player’s level on the pitch is what makes him untouchable”

“What makes players untouchable is their level on the pitch,” José Mourinho said at his press conference before the match against Leipzig. The coach also drew a clear line: “The only untouchable thing is the badge.” The captain’s armband, status or length of service, he explained, cannot shield a player from judgment based on performance.

The remarks come as Real Madrid return to their favoured competition after their comeback in Rome. They will play at home against Demichelis’s RB Leipzig. Mourinho said he did not want the focus to be on refereeing and expressed satisfaction with Kovacs, the referee for the upcoming match.

The Portuguese coach also urged caution after three wins in quick succession: “Winning three does not mean you win the fourth.” He noted that Leipzig had beaten PSV and had three points, with qualification as their aim. For Real Madrid, the immediate priority is to secure qualification for the Champions League, he said. The next goal would be to avoid the play-offs, before turning attention to winning the competition. Mourinho believes many points will be needed to avoid that stage and wants to proceed “step by step”.

Asked about Güler and Valverde, he highlighted their ability to play in several positions and said he looks for the right balance depending on the situation. He defended his choices for the match in Rome in particular: starting Bernardo and Arda, he said, would have left his team exposed. “Sometimes I’ll be right, sometimes I won’t,” he acknowledged. On whether Espí and Mbappé can play together, he said the partnership would be difficult at first, though a 4-4-2 could make it possible; with wide players in that system, however, he doubts the team would win.

Mourinho also stressed that there is still collective work to do. After three months with the group, he said, they need to keep improving, including tactically. He described a positive atmosphere at Valdebebas and said Diomande regularly comes in during the afternoon with the physiotherapist to take care of himself. Finally, responding to Fran Soto, who considers Spanish referees the best in the world, Mourinho replied: “For me, my players are the best in the world.”