José Mourinho has voiced his concerns about the international break, urging national team coaches to handle Real Madrid players carefully during the upcoming fixtures. With several key players leaving the club to represent their countries, the Portuguese manager fears that demanding schedules, long-distance travel and insufficient recovery could lead to injuries.
Real Madrid head into the break in excellent form after recording eight consecutive victories across all competitions. However, Mourinho believes the timing of the international fixtures could disrupt that momentum. Following Saturday’s 3-0 victory over Valencia, he admitted that he would prefer to oversee his players’ recovery himself.
“I’m worried about this international break; if they were staying with me and my staff, we could give them special attention regarding their recovery, but instead, they’ll be with their national teams,” he explained. He also stressed that players need rest rather than intense training during this period.
Mourinho particularly highlighted the responsibility of national team coaches, including Zinedine Zidane and Carlo Ancelotti, in managing their players’ workload. He pointed to Brazil’s Vinícius Júnior and Endrick, who will work under Ancelotti, and admitted that he would appreciate any decision to give Endrick playing time. Nevertheless, Mourinho insisted that every coach must prioritise player welfare. “They owe it to the players to act professionally regarding their recovery,” he concluded, making his message clear ahead of the international fixtures.
