Mourinho: There are matches that seem over but aren't

Portuguese manager Jose Mourinho said, “There are matches that seem to be over but are not,” in reference to Real Madrid’s 3-2 victory over host Elche, after having led 2-0. Commenting on the match, Mourinho stated, “The problem seems clear to me. It is difficult to know the reason, but it is easy to understand that there are matches that seem to be over but are not. Matches where we get three, four, five chances to finish them off and do not.” He added, “After that, it seems we move from ease, because things were easy, to losing control. It seems we enter a dynamic where, well, we didn’t score, we didn’t seal the match with three or four clear goals, but it was over. It feels as if everything seems easy and we leave things as they are.” He continued, “One goal and the match becomes open. The good thing is that, facing difficulties and the pressure of potentially losing points, the team responds and wins, and that is the most important thing.” Regarding the goalscorer Isco, Mourinho said, “He is doing a good job, providing an important contribution to the team. He is an excited player, but he plays against a player who is not ordinary,” referring to Mbappe, who assisted the 21-year-old’s goal after also scoring the second for the royal club in the 33rd minute. He added, “Playing with both of them together is not easy, because then we do not have typical wingers for the 2-4-4 formation, and the team loses balance. With the substitutions I made at the end, I risked everything. We won; we could have lost, but we had to do it because a draw does not help.”