I Am Scouted by Real Madrid

Chapter 762 - 35: He Is a Leader

Santiago Bernabeu StadiumAt the post-match press conference, the journalist’s questions were a bit tricky, but the Portuguese player, after a brief hesitation, spoke, "I had some good opportunities, but didn’t score. You all saw what happened next; Chen came to my side and told me that as long as I appeared in that position, he would be able to pass the ball to me."

"As a result, you saw it. I came to the position, he sent the ball to my feet, and then I scored. It’s that simple."

"I think he can already be considered a pass master."

Cristiano Ronaldo’s expression was very serious, and it was also the first time someone in such a setting called Chen Zhong a pass master.

At the post-match press conference, Pellegrini seemed somewhat embarrassed when facing the journalists’ questions. He was unwilling to acknowledge Mourinho’s strength, nor did he want to use Málaga’s weakness as an excuse. He mentioned Chen Zhong and said helplessly, "Although Chen scored only one goal in this match, it’s obvious that he is the absolute protagonist of this match."

"He almost took care of all the goals."

"I can’t say that Chen in Málaga would definitely win against Real Madrid, but I dare say that if Chen were in Málaga, even at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, we would have a good chance to come away unscathed."

Pellegrini affirmed Chen Zhong’s strength, but he didn’t show a good face to Mourinho, who had disrespected him before the match. Of course, Mourinho didn’t care whether Pellegrini gave him a good face or not.

After Real Madrid’s 8-0 thrashing of Málaga at home, Real Madrid’s head coach Mourinho stated, because the team had played a heavyweight match two days earlier, the players’ physical condition was not great, so he substituted three people after the team had a big lead.

"You know, the schedule is not friendly to us."

"That’s why I changed three players, to let those who played less and have better physical conditions come on and play."

After the victory, Mourinho seemed to have gained some poise, when addressing Pellegrini’s issues, he calmly said, "Should I say anything? I shouldn’t have to say anything."

"That’s his job; Málaga is also playing, that’s the fact."

"Of course, our victory is also a fact. Just playing against the world’s best team, their performance was quite normal."

The journalists obviously didn’t want Mourinho to easily brush things aside, when asked about the recent controversy and criticism about him, Mourinho said in response, "I am prepared mentally for everything."

"I have extensive experience, working in different football cultures over the years, nothing will catch me off guard."

"When someone slaps you, you either prepare to receive another slap or passively endure it, but when you have taken 50, 60, or even 70 slaps, you are prepared for anything."

On this topic, Mourinho continued, "Obviously, I have no opinion about Málaga City and Málaga Club and their staff, my speech at the press conference was just honestly answering questions."

"If you ask the world’s best players and coaches whether they want to go to Málaga, they will answer, ’Why not?’ or ’Yes, I will go’ or ’Not now, but will go in the future,’ but these are not truthful, they won’t go."

"Those who have choices will always choose the best."

"If I need to apologize for my words, that’s not a problem, yesterday I apologized to a journalist. But I want to emphasize, I was just honestly answering questions. In a hypocritical world, honesty is a huge flaw."

"Speaking the truth is my flaw, and will always be my flaw in the future. My world is not football, it is another world, football is just my professional world."

About the possibility of leaving the club after the season ends, Mourinho pointed out, "This is not a problem for me. I am a straightforward person, if at the end of the season everyone is not satisfied with me, I will leave, and when I come back, I will be the team’s opponent. I have experienced this many times, it’s nothing unusual."

"Regarding Chen?"

"I have nothing more to say, he deserves the captain’s armband, deserves praise, deserves everything."

"His performance in this match, as usual, appeared."

"He is the most important person in the team, the leader."

Finally, Mourinho praised the performance of French forward Benzema, "He’s playing better and better, I think now he is a very different player from the one I saw when I first came."

"My analysis is that he is now more comprehensive, stronger, with a completely different attitude."

"Adebayor is Adebayor, before he came I already understood his characteristics and what he could contribute to the team."

"I know, now that I have two forwards, I can decide when to let whom play."

This season, Benzema’s total goals in various competitions have reached 10, although not many, but the number of goals can no longer be a reason to criticize Benzema.

Mourinho’s praise is not unfounded, in this match, Benzema was lively right from the start.

Although Benzema has also had times when he messed things up, being too eager and committing offside, disrupting a good play for the team, but this active attitude overall is a form of progress.