Jose Mourinho says Real Madrid must not underestimate Murcia
Real Madrid head coach Jose Mourinho has said that he and his team cannot take Murcia for granted when the sides face off in the Copa del Rey on Tuesday, 26 October.
Mourinho is a former manager of Chelsea and, as such, is all too familiar with lower-league sides beating more illustrious opposition in England. But cup shocks are prevalent throughout all of European football.
Indeed, La Liga giants Madrid were humbled in the competition last season when Alcorcon won 4-0, and many pundits believe that result was the catalyst for the demise of Manuel Pellegrini as the club’s manager.
As a result, Mourinho has warned his players not to take the challenge of Murcia, who play in the Spanish third division, lightly, and to remain focused on picking up the victory.
He told reporters at a press conference, "Lose a Champions League match, and you have five more to recover. You lose a cup game, and it ends. People might think it is good to be eliminated from the cup, but I do not agree. We must try to continue until the
end. It is important for attitude, and for our respect of our opponents. It is never good to have less quality. We are taking this match very seriously, because we want to win this tie.
"For me, all games are equal. Tomorrow, I want my players to make the headlines, especially the ones that do not usually play. Tomorrow, I want them to say, 'I am here, and you cannot forget me.'"
Meanwhile, it has been 17 years since Los Blancos last triumphed in the competition, and Mourinho believes that record must come to an end.
"It is too long, it does not seem normal, but it is reality. Two finals, but nothing more. It’s an important competition, and I know that many people do not value the cups, but I appreciate them. I won them in Portugal, England and Italy, and here I also
want to win."
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