Real Madrid Fans Fume at Jose Mourinho For Comments on the Substitutes

On Wednesday evening, Real Madrid pulled off a very unlikely win in the UEFA Champions League. The team were 3-1 down away to AS Roma after 82 minutes, yet, due to three goals from corners, Jose Mourinho’s side pulled off the unlikeliest of 4-3 victories.

The catalysts of the comeback were young forwards Endrick and Carlos Espi. The second goal was a rebound scored by Espi after Endrick’s header was saved, before the Brazilian international then scored himself with a header to equalise (a shoutout to Arda Guler too for his world class corners).

This has lead to many fans wondering if the team that finished the game could start a game at some point, considering how much better the team looked in the closing stages. In fact, this was a question raised to Mourinho himself after the game. 

In response, the 63-year old said (as relayed by MadridXtra): “If the team that finished the game today, started, we would've lost 5-0.

It worked in those last minutes, because it was a specific situation, it wouldn't work for 90 minutes.”

Needless to say, this has gone down like a lead balloon in the Real Madrid fanbase, who are criticising the gaffer for being too negative.

Some are saying that the team that started would have lost by a similar scoreline, had several of the starters not been taken off the pitch at 3-1. And you know what, it’s objectively hard to disagree with those claims based on the patterns of the game.

Based on the reaction from the fanbase, there will be a lot of anger and mutiny if at least one of Endrick or Espi are not named in the starting lineup against Sevilla on Sunday. Perhaps not both of them, but supporters will be baying for blood if neither of them are rewarded for their significant contributions off the bench in Rome.

With Vinicius suspended for four La Liga games, Mourinho could play Kylian Mbappe off the left hand side, and then one of Endrick or Espi up front, leading the line. Alternatively, he could start Yan Diomande off the left, and try Endrick off the right hand side. Let’s wait and see.

Either way, if neither of them start, there will be extremely frustration, anger and a general loss of patience from the Real Madrid faithful, and that would only be further exacerbated if the team fail to pick up all three points down in Seville. The pressure is on Mourinho now after using a get out of jail free card on Wednesday night.