Mourinho Praises Guler and Diomande After 4-1 Victory

Jose Mourinho walked into the press room at the Bernabéu with a 4–1 win over Rayo Vallecano in his pocket and a bench full of problems most coaches would love to have.

Real Madrid had just rolled through the fifth round of La Liga, but the conversation quickly turned to those who did not start and those who came on to change the game.

Arda Guler the game-changer

Mourinho did not hide his delight with Arda Guler’s impact.

“Arda Guler plays a lot when he is on the pitch,” he said, underlining how the young midfielder had tilted the match. Guler came on and immediately brought order, rhythm and control.

“When he came on, he made the difference in the stability of the play,” Mourinho stressed. For him, Guler is not just another option. He is an influence.

The Real Madrid manager also made it clear that rotation will be a constant theme in this squad.

“I will say with 100% certainty that if Diomande had not started today, the first question would have been: why is Diomande not playing? On the bench you see nothing but quality. The changes will happen from one match to another.”

Depth, yes. But also dilemmas.

Diomande under the microscope

Yan Diomande’s selection from the start was always going to draw attention. Mourinho met that head-on, with the calm of someone who has lived through far bigger storms.

“I am a little too old to feel pressure because of a player's situation,” he said. No drama, just decisions.

“You have different lists of players, and sometimes you have to pray that no player gets injured, and at other times you have many solutions. He will improve gradually. He has little time at the top level, and he has a lot to learn tactically. But he possesses amazing potential.”

That potential, Mourinho believes, comes with real versatility.

“Diomande gives us many options in one-on-one duels, passing and shooting, and he can also play in Vini's position, and on the right side, just as Arda can play there or in Bellingham's position. At the moment, I want to help him develop.”

It is a clear roadmap: patience, minutes, and a manager intent on shaping a raw but powerful profile.

Vinicius close to full throttle

From the emerging names, the discussion swung to a star already carrying the weight of two giants: Real Madrid and Brazil.

“Vinicius is in better physical shape than ever, but he is just one millimetre short of reaching his top speed,” Mourinho said. The winger is almost at full power, and that “one millimetre” sounded more like a warning to future opponents than a concern.

“His ability to repeat efforts is immense. It is a process he is gradually absorbing. Mentally, he is very strong, and he knows Real Madrid more than anyone else. He plays with great responsibility, which is the responsibility of playing for Real Madrid and the Brazil national team. He is calm. The goals will come.”

A squad stacked with options, a star on the verge of his peak, and youngsters pushing hard for minutes: Mourinho has problems to solve, but they are the kind that usually end in trophies.