Overview
- Mourinho told El Chiringuito that Rodri hesitated during negotiations and that the player's doubts led him to lose confidence in the transfer, a line he used to explain why the Spanish midfielder signed for Barcelona instead.
- Real Madrid completed the signing of Bernardo Silva from Manchester City and Mourinho described Bernardo as a protégé of Pep Guardiola while saying he played a decisive role in convincing the player to join.
- Mourinho insisted the club still has midfield solutions and quality without Rodri, naming existing options such as Tchouaméni and Valverde as part of the squad depth that removes a perceived gap.
- In a calmer press conference, Mourinho warned that problems will arrive and stressed non‑negotiable standards of commitment, while defending Vinícius Júnior over how referees and opponents treat him.
- Several outlets responded critically to Mourinho’s interview, flagging his references to the 'Negreira' affair and questioning whether his provocative public tone serves coaching needs or fuels off‑field tensions in La Liga.