AS Roma 3-4 Real Madrid: Jose Mourinho's Post-Match Press Conference

Jose Mourinho has just had the post-match press conference after a quite dramatic match for Real Madrid. The Chamartin side was widely outplayed by Roma during long stretches, but they did not give up, and in 10 minutes they pulled off the heroic feat of scoring three goals and coming back from the score, taking the victory and the three points to the Spanish capital in a match of great exertion.

"They have set up a different match from all the ones they have done until today and all the ones we have analyzed. They attacked us with three players on the right flank; that is where the adjustments went. Then we conceded a goal that we cannot concede; we cannot do what we did in midfield.

Then it is a rebellion, in quotes; it is organized, emotional. I know perfectly well how Gasperini's teams play, and they surprised us, but in football there are no miracles; 90 minutes with that intensity is not possible," Mourinho began.

He also addressed the topic of Vinicius Jr.'s suspension, which was announced only two hours before the kickoff of the match. "Do you think it is normal that a player from a Spanish team knows what suspension he will get? Could it not be now, tomorrow? We get into a mess. In Portuguese, it is said that there is a cat hidden with its tail covered. It is no longer hidden.

Things are now done without a cover, without shame. Do you want to kill the player beforehand? It is no longer a question. The first half is my fault. Gesture at the substitution? It is normal. What matters is that he was happy because we won. The player tries to block feelings. As has happened to me for playing in front of my people.

I ask for respect. It does not seem innocent to me to have to play in Athens and then play a match as tough as the one against Valencia on Saturday. I do not swallow the television explanations. It is not an innocent decision. Madridistas are not stupid, and I am going to speak so that things can be seen. The Vinicius thing does not deserve more comments."

And that is how Real Madrid was able to achieve one more feat in the Champions League, a competition in which the merengues transform themselves and bring out the mystique that has led them to lift the trophy on 15 occasions. They take the three points from a hostile environment like the Stadio Olimpico, and it is time to prepare for the match against Sevilla.

To finish, Mourinho addressed once again what happened during the match. "In my head, I always want to do good. I think about meritocracy. Football is a 90-minute game, with a lot of strategy. The rivals count, and Roma is very strong. A terrible team to play against. I knew their gasoline was going to run out. The substitutions were because of that. They crushed us in the first half. They surprised us with Soule. Many did not count on Cucurella. We reorganized, but we conceded a goal that cannot be conceded."