Real Madrid coach José Mourinho insists no player at the club is beyond being dropped, with performance on the pitch the only yardstick that matters.
Mourinho said, during the press conference ahead of the Leipzig clash in the Champions League: "They are a big team. We won three matches in a short time, and we secured victory in the last match after producing a wonderful level. It was an extremely complete match, and we have to keep working."
Could players ask the referee to review decisions? "Tomorrow we have a referee who does not accept joking around. He is a referee of a very high level, and I am very pleased to have a referee of this quality in an important match."
Asked about Real Madrid's billing as one of the favourites to win the Champions League, he batted it away: "It is far too early to talk about that. Our aim now is to qualify, and after that comes the next aim, which is to avoid the play-off. I have a feeling that achieving that will require collecting a lot of points. First we have to reach 11 or 12 points that guarantee us qualification, then gather the points that allow us to enter the top eight places."
What surprised him about his players' professionalism? "I stayed here tonight. Being here for hours does not necessarily mean you are working. I am glad for this to be said in a positive sense, but it is also true. Jude has a special culture in recovery and attention to the finest details, and Diomande always comes in the afternoon accompanied by a physiotherapist. The most important thing is having a complete working system, so no one stays here without one of my assistants also being present."
Getty ImagesCould Vinícius lose his place in the side? Mourinho was blunt: "There is no player who is untouchable. I do not like this concept of there being a player who cannot be left out, because what makes a player beyond change is what they produce in performance on the pitch."
Had he taken the team to the level he wants? "We still have a lot ahead of us. We have been here for three or four months, and it is impossible that we have already reached the level we want. We have to improve constantly, both individually and collectively. I understand that the club's ceiling of ambition is extremely high, as I spent three years here and know well the nature of these ambitions. I know there is a lot of work we need to do. I am a stubborn coach; when I adopt an idea, it remains constantly in my mind. That means I always stay open to analysing and reviewing things. We have to keep working."
Where do Arda Güler and Valverde fit best? "Their place is the pitch. They are two different players, but both have the ability to adapt to different positions. Every match and every team has its own circumstances. In the last match we played with a different midfield. I try to choose the best possible line-up for the team. There are times that suit each option, and I try to do things the right way. Sometimes I am right, and sometimes I am not."
Getty ImagesCan Mbappé and Endrick play together? "It is difficult. They could play together in a 4-4-2, but given that we have wide players with these characteristics, the tactical shape would turn into a 4-2-4. There is also the matter of the timing of bringing them on, as happened in Rome."
Told Spanish referees are rated the best in the world, he smiled: "For me, my team's players are the best in the world. As for Fran Soto, his referees are the best in the world."
What had proved easiest and hardest since he took charge? "I cannot talk about surprises or say that I expected things to be better or worse. I expected to find what I actually found. I did not come thinking that I would stay here 100 days or three years, but rather I try to give the most I have every day."
And Diomande's role for tomorrow? "Vinícius will play tomorrow in the left-wing position. As for Yan, he does not know whether he will take part tomorrow or not, so you can imagine the situation."