José Mourinho has warned of the danger posed by Real Betis Balompié to Real Madrid in this Friday's match. The Portuguese manager made these statements in a press conference on the eve of the clash at La Cartuja scheduled for 21:00 on September 4. Mourinho was clear that his team must be at their maximum level to secure victory.
The Verdiblancos come into this match seventh in the La Liga standings, with 6 points from two wins and one loss in their first three games. They have scored 4 goals and conceded 5, leaving them with a -1 goal difference. They trail leaders Barcelona by 3 points in a season Mourinho has already described as tough due to constant pressure.
What did Mourinho say about Betis?
The Madrid coach did not hold back praise for Manuel Pellegrini's team. "Tenemos que ver a un gran Real Madrid. Si no, no ganaremos.", said Mourinho. He acknowledged that the Spanish league is not just about Barcelona and Real Madrid, also mentioning Atlético Madrid as title candidates, and stressed that teams like Betis are very strong.
Mourinho also referred to his relationship with Pellegrini, recalling some controversial words they exchanged in 2011. "No reprocho nada porque no podemos volver atrás en el tiempo.", he admitted. He clarified that, despite that, they maintain a cordial relationship and recalled a friendly match between Betis and Roma where the referee, in his words, favored the Sevillian team.
How do absences affect Real Madrid?
Mourinho confirmed that for the Champions League debut against Inter on September 8, he will be without Arda Güler, Bernardo Silva, and Eduardo Camavinga. Aurélien Tchouaméni's availability for that match is uncertain due to physical problems. For the match against Betis, Federico Valverde will be the only first-team player available, posing an added challenge for the white team. Betis, for their part, face the match with several key absences in their squad, such as Aitor Ruibal, Diego Conde, Giovani Lo Celso, and Ángel Ortiz, according to the latest verified data.
What other topics did Mourinho address?
The Portuguese also spoke about conversations with former players. He revealed he spoke on the phone for three minutes with Dani Ceballos to tell him he was not counting on him, and that the midfielder preferred to be free to decide his future before his contract was terminated. Mourinho also mentioned he was last in contact with Xabi Alonso during the Roma vs Bayer Leverkusen match, and that he often speaks with Álvaro Arbeloa, although he did not receive information from him about his situation at Real Madrid. The manager considered it ethically difficult for former coaches to discuss their past stints at clubs.
Friday's match at La Cartuja is an important test for both teams' aspirations at the start of the season. After this fixture, Real Betis Balompié will travel to San Mamés to face Athletic Club on December 20, a clash already listed on our fixtures page. The Bilbao team currently sits twelfth in the table.
