Mourinho press conference
Jose Mourinho offered a run down of what the preseason stage in Los Angeles has been like during Friday’s press conference.
Mourinho: "Cristiano is Cristiano and I am sure he will have a great season playing for me"
Preparation:
We work on everything. We combine fitness work with psychological work. For example, we do a 10 on 6 drill and the six-man team begins with a 2-0 advantage. The other team then needs to turn the score around within ten minutes. That is how we combine fitness work with psychological work. Against America, when we were down 2-1, we turned to our attitude. Take Cristiano as another example. He was going to be subbed out in the 60th minute, but he asked me to stay in in order to win the match. That gives you an idea of this team’s attitude.
Real Madrid:
Real Madrid is a team that generates very high expectations. It is a one-of-a kind and it was named the best team of the 20th Century. I haven’t been here very long, but I have already realized what this team is made of and I would like to be a part of the history of Real Madrid.
Canceling practice session:
In football you must tire in the final minute, not at the very beginning of a match, which is what is happening to us now because of the work load. The reason we cancelled one of the training sessions is to allow the players more time to rest.
Higuain to Realmadrid.com
Gonzalo Higuain’s preseason is off to a flying start after the Argentine scored Wednesday night’s equalizer against Club America.
Higuain: "Mourinho is a serious coach who is backed by his past success"
Your first preseason match and your first goal.
I am happy to have started off with a goal. That is my job and the reason I am here. We need to continue getting used to Mourinho’s methods and tactics and to hope that the new players adjust quickly. I will continue trying to score goals if and when the coach includes me in the starting eleven.
What is working for Mourinho like?
It is great. We are all very anxious to learn from him. It is going to be a tough year but we believe we can win every title we compete for. We are very motivated.
What is it about him that the players identify with?
He is a serious coach. We are all aware of his past success and we mutually want to help one another win titles with Real Madrid.
What are you goals for the upcoming season?
I hope to score more goals than last seasaon because it will help the team accomplish its objectives. I scored a good number of goals last year and would love to score even more this season.
And what about the team’s objectives?
Our goal is to win all three titles we have in play. It would be a nice reward for our fans, who are hoping and waiting for it to happen.
What would winning the Champions League mean to this club?
It would be very special. This team has won more European Cups than any and we are hoping to win the Tenth this year.
What woud you like to tell Madridistas heading into the new season?
I ask that they support us as always and want to tell them that we will play the very best we can. I hope they have fun watching us and that they help us celebrate should we win any titles.
Real Madrid 3-2 Club América
The Whites win first preseason match
Mourinho’s unexpected 4-4-2 formation to start the match saw Canales in attack with Benzema and Cristiano and Pedro Leon glued to the wings, but Canales and Ronaldo on several occasions switched positions and it was the Portuguese who would join the Frenchman as the most advanced player.
Real Madrid’s game plan was quite obvious during the opening minutes of the match. Players relentlessly chased the ball and pressured the opponent. Once the Whites had the ball in their possession, they would send it to one of the two wingers or cross it from one flank to the other. It was a perfect reflection of what had been worked on during training.
Already wearing the number ’7′ shirt, Cristiano Ronaldo had the first scoring opportunity of the match but Ochoa managed to clear with difficulty. Real Madrid had clear control of the game, while America hoped to pull the upset by way of counterattacks. Benzema could have given the Whites the lead 15 minutes before halftime, but his header struck the crossbar.
A brilliant combination between Cristiano Ronaldo, Benzema and Canales resulted in the first and best goal of the match. The ball was stolen in an advanced position, Cristiano curled it into the box and Benzema lifted his head and passed to an unmarked Canales, who tapped the ball into the back of the net. A goal that combined speed and precision and did justice to what had been seen on the pitrch.
The second half began with several new faces on the turf as Higuain, Granero, Diarra, Drenthe, Adan, Di Maria and Nacho came on for Canales, Benzema, Pedro Leon, Marcelo, Juanfran, Gago and Dudek. The game plan was still the same as Granero filled in for Canales and ‘Pipita’ replaced Benzema. The changes, however, resulted in some players not covering their positions and Esqueda capitalized for America. The Mexican side advanced and on a counter took the lead with a goal by Sanchez.
Having to come from behind, Higuain pulled Real Madrid level by beating Navarrete on his first touch of the ball. Real Madrid loosened up and regained control. With ten minutes left on the clock, Cristiano Ronaldo struck gold off a set piece and sent the 47,000 spectators into a frenzy. With the game in the bag, Mourinho brought in youth teamers Tebar, Alex and Morata for their few minutes of glory.
Just another Madridista
Real Madrid 3-2 Club América | Post-match comments
Jose Mourinho: "Real Madrid is a team that wants to win and its history proves it"
Jose Mourinho was pleased with his team’s first preseason performance, but he made it clear that there is still plenty of work to be done. He said:
Canales scored in his debut and was delighted with his performance in his first game as a Madridista adding:
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August 6, 2010 | Categories: Friendlies, Post-match Comments | Tags: Candlestick Park, Club America, José Mourinho, Sergio Canales | Leave A Comment »