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| Jose Mourinho |
Asked by the fatigue of the team he said: "Derbies against Atletico Madrid aren't friendlies and they are not easy to play, so my men feel physically and emotionally tired. The opponent's quality and the fact that we faced them in a Spanish Cup quarterfinal means both legs were difficult encounters. Nobody wanted to lose. Playing two derbies in one week took its toll on us".
And he justified his tactical decision and substitutions in the starting lineup of the meeting, according to the crucial match in Sevilla on Wednesday. "I decided to use a different lineup because we will play a very important game on Wednesday. I cannot replace all men and I know there are consequences to making changes on my starting lineup".
"My decisions were risky, but I allowed the midfielders who will play in Sevilla to rest tonight. Khedira is injured, but he will play on Wednesday. At least, I will have managed to have a physically fitter midfield on Wednesday. I wanted to avoid being in a difficult situation by half-time against Mallorca. The 0-0 score was good because we knew we were going to make changes to the lineup in the second half. The double substitution helped the team make an immediate improvement".
On the fans' support coach: "If the fans support the team it means they support its coach, because I am the team. I don't like, and I don't need, the support of individuals. I am grateful for it, but I don't need it. I need the fans to be with the team, and they are. I cannot expect them to be incredibly happy tonight, but it is very complicated to play nine games in January at a very high level. The team still has its limitations, but it continues to win, which is what really matters".
