Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho says the club did not need Rodri to challenge for the LaLiga title, despite admitting the Barcelona-bound midfielder would have been “the cherry on top” of his squad.
Madrid begin their first campaign under Mourinho since 2012-13 with a visit to Espanyol on Saturday, marking the Portuguese manager’s return for a second spell in the Spanish capital.
Mourinho previously led Real Madrid between 2010 and 2013, winning one LaLiga title, one Copa del Rey and one Supercopa de Espana. Their league triumph in 2011-12 came with 100 points, a joint competition record that still stands.
The club have strengthened before his return with the signings of Bernardo Silva, Marc Cucurella, Denzel Dumfries, Yan Diomande, Ibrahima Konate and Carlos Espi.
However, they were unable to secure Rodri, the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner and Spain’s World Cup Golden Ball recipient, who has joined Barcelona from Manchester City in a €76.5m deal.
Mourinho said Madrid viewed the chance to sign Rodri as an opportunity to improve an already strong squad, rather than a response to a weakness.
“I don’t think we have a deficit,” Mourinho said when asked about Rodri’s move to Barca. “Then you can ask, ‘If you don’t have a deficit, why did you want to sign Rodri?’
“He would have been the cherry on top, he’s a great player, he’s a player with great experience, with great status.
“If we could have had him, we would have had him and we would have improved. But when you have [Aurelien] Tchouameni, [Eduardo] Camavinga, [Federico] Valverde, Bernardo, Arda [Guler] … it’s not that we have a problem or that we needed to go for another player.”
Several of Madrid’s leading players, including Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham and Cucurella, have had reduced pre-season preparations after progressing deep into the World Cup.
Mourinho declined to reveal his starting XI for the match at RCDE Stadium, although he said the players already knew who would feature.
“The first XI? Let’s see which of you has the best contacts. The players already know who is playing. I’m not someone who hides things.
“Maybe in a couple of hours your information will arrive, but I’m not going to tell you. To answer your question about whether I have an ideal XI – I don’t, or I don’t want to have one.
“It’s another season, another game. Some players have had 36 training sessions and six games, others five training sessions and only part of a game.
“There are exceptional players and an exceptional staff, and I’ve been able to prepare differentiated work. I’m very happy with the situation.”
Mourinho has never lost against Espanyol in six LaLiga meetings, recording four wins and two draws. That is the joint-highest number of matches he has managed against a team in the competition without suffering defeat, alongside six games against five other sides.
Real Madrid are starting their league campaign a week later than most teams. Espanyol already have three points after beating Levante 3-0.
Players to watch
Espanyol forward Roberto Fernandez arrives in form after scoring three times in his past two LaLiga matches. That is one more goal than he managed in his previous 22 games in the competition.
His recent run includes his second top-flight brace, scored against Levante last weekend.
For Real Madrid, Vinicius Junior has found the net five times in 11 LaLiga appearances against Espanyol. Three of those goals have come in six league visits to the RCDE Stadium.
He has not scored more away goals against any other opponent at a single Spanish top-flight ground, also recording three at three other venues, and will be aiming to mark the beginning of Madrid’s new era with a goal.
Real Madrid favoured to start with victory
Real Madrid have avoided defeat on the opening matchday in each of the past 17 LaLiga seasons, winning 12 and drawing five. Their last opening-day loss came in August 2008, when Deportivo de A Coruna beat them 2-1.
That is the longest unbeaten run on the opening matchday in the history of the competition.
Madrid have also won 110 of their 180 LaLiga meetings with Espanyol, drawing 33 and losing 37. No team has beaten another more often in the history of the league.
Espanyol have lost 11 of their 15 LaLiga matches against Madrid at the RCDE Stadium, with three wins and one draw. Those 11 defeats are their highest total against any opponent in the competition.
The hosts have won three of their past four LaLiga games and drawn the other, having previously gone 18 matches without a victory, with six draws and 12 defeats. They could now match their longest unbeaten run under manager Manolo Gonzalez, a five-game sequence achieved on three previous occasions.
Although Espanyol have improved, Real Madrid’s squad depth and quality make them clear favourites to begin the season with three points.
Opta win probability
– Espanyol: 15.6%
– Real Madrid: 62.4%
– Draw: 22%
