[Radio Nacional] Does such a match with your shortages in the squad, difficulties in the match itself and Osasuna’s level make the coach doubly happy with the performance itself, even minus the points?
Yes you are right. It was a complete, even, competitive and well-played match from both sides. We are very happy because the team played great, suffered when they had to suffer, found the right moment to score… Yes, we are very pleased.
[Onda Cero] You hugged all the players after the game, but Álvaro Rodríguez in a way you won’t forget. It’s not easy to come in at the age of 18 with 3 minutes left and get 2 assists when they canceled one. Maybe it’s too early, but do you see in him the “9” of the future of Real Madrid after what he did in 6 minutes today?
[śmiech] It’s hard to say, but he’s definitely a player with a lot of skill. He’s very tall, great with the ball, great head. He is a striker who can help us as he helped us today. I think it’s not easy for a young man to enter a game with good focus at Real Madrid. Because you walk into Real Madrid and you think: what a night, my first time in the first team… He was very focused and made the difference in 10 minutes with 2 assists. Another might have thought to shoot, but he passed on goals: one Vinicius and another Asensio. He will definitely help us this season, I am sure of it.
[OkDiario] I want to ask about Vinicius’ match. He could get past Osasuna’s defense time after time, but he had a clash with Moi Gómez at the end of the first half. How do you rate him? Despite the lack of a goal, is this one of Vinicius’ best matches?
Vinicius’ match was spectacular as always. He was a bit more difficult in the first half, but in the second half he beat everyone because he has an impressive physical condition. When others get tired, he increases the intensity. He was a player who made the difference: he had the assist on the first goal and he went in front of the goalkeeper many times and lacked a bit of accuracy. His match was extraordinary.
[The Athletic] Did Nacho come down with physical problems? And what do you think is the physical condition of the team three days before the game against Liverpool?
As I say, we feel fine. Today we only had a last minute problem with Tchouaméni having stomach problems. Toni returned to training today. I think Karim will be fine for Tuesday. We approach Tuesday’s meeting with good dynamics. We have some problems but the players are slowly coming back. We approach Tuesday’s game with confidence.
[COPE] Camavinga was, in my opinion, the most outstanding player today next to Vini. He seems to be on a 12-game streak in a row in the first team. Do you agree that he is the player who has developed the most in your team this season? And is eleven today unthinkable without him?
I agree. He plays very well, we are very happy with him playing in the middle of the field or at left back. His physical condition is great and he adds energy wherever I put him. He played a very good game today defensively. Together with Ceballos and Modric they did a great job. When I made him and Fede Valverde a pair of pivots, that’s where he made the difference through energy together with Valverde.
[SER] Will Álvaro Rodríguez stay permanently in the first team squad?
[kiwa głową, że nie wie] We need to evaluate it with Raúl. I think he has to develop through the game, but he’s definitely a player that we’ll use as well. I need to talk to Raúl about Álvaro’s future. I think tomorrow he can play for Castilla. I don’t know if he’ll play the whole game, but he’ll need tomorrow’s performance.
And such a detail from the match: during the break you went to the referee on the pitch. We don’t see that very often. What happened there?
[uśmiech zawstydzenia] It happened that in the last free kick they brought the ball 20 meters closer, but it was stupid. It was my mistake because the referee explained it to me very well. He said, listen, it was the last action and I whistled it without any control of where they started the game because I knew that nothing would come of it. So it was my mistake. I think the refereeing was good today. It was good judging.
[MARCA] After the game in Mallorca, was today’s marking for Vinicius normal? There were normal clashes, no controversy. Are we on the right track in this respect? Have we solved the problem you were talking about in Morocco?
[śmiech] Yes… Except for a minute’s silence [gdy jeden z widzów obrażał Viníciusa i jego matkę]… If we forget this minute’s silence… The minute’s silence was disrespectful not to Vinicius, but to Turkey and Syria. We can’t forget that, but for the rest, yes, Osasuna played a football match. With competition, they played an even match, with fighting, clashes, but correct.
[Radio MARCA] A question with Anfield in mind. You said before the game that this XI could play at Anfield, but it seems that it will be difficult. I will ask about the right defense: how does Nacho vs Carvajal fight? Nacho played there today as a test? Has Carvajal been saved for the first team at Anfield? What is your intention?
That Carvajal will play at Anfield [uśmiech].
