Valencia manager Javier Aguirre has defended his players after Jose Mourinho suggested that Real Madrid had a considerably stronger squad following their 3-0 victory at Mestalla.
The Portuguese manager revealed that he had told Aguirre after the match not to be disappointed because his players were better.
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Speaking ahead of Valencia’s Copa del Rey fixture against Tavernes de la Valldigna, however, the Mexican coach played down the exchange, insisting that he remains confident in his squad and that Mourinho’s comments were not taken personally inside the Valencia dressing room.
Aguirre clarified what Mourinho had told him after the defeat, explaining that he understood the remark as a footballing observation rather than a personal criticism.
“He didn’t say ‘much better’. He told me to stay calm because his players were better. I listened to him – he’s my friend – I congratulated him and went back to the dressing room.
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“I think I have some very good players; otherwise, I wouldn’t be here,” he explained, as per Mundo Deportivo.
The Valencia manager also insisted that the exchange had not created any tension among his players.
Javier Aguirre has no grudge against Mourinho. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
“We haven’t discussed it. There was no reaction in the dressing room. They’re football people; they took it as a footballing remark, they took it as something not personal.
“Nobody came to say anything to me; I would have considered organising a team-building exercise. Some of them probably didn’t even notice. The team is doing well,” he said.
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The Valencia manager was also questioned about the confrontation in the Mestalla tunnel during half-time.
The referee’s report recorded complaints from sporting director Braulio Vazquez, although it did not mention any involvement from Real Madrid players.
Aguirre explained that he had spoken to Vazquez but had no knowledge of anything beyond the disagreement reported to him.
“I spoke to Braulio. I was inside. He told me he’d voiced his disagreement and that was reflected in the report. He didn’t say anything else to me.
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“It’s the usual thing – people are coming in and there are 40 of them, and anything can happen. Nothing happened as far as I know. I haven’t seen the report.
Aguirre did not agree with referee’s decision to award Real Madrid a penalty. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
“Braulio did come down and tell me he was unhappy. Did he put that in the report? He told me he didn’t insult him and I believe him,” he explained.
Aguirre also revisited Pablo Maffeo’s challenge on Kylian Mbappe, which preceded Real Madrid’s first goal.
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The Valencia manager disagreed with the referee’s decision to award a foul and argued that the incident raised questions about the possibility of a red card.
“That’s what I saw from my vantage point. I don’t think it’s a foul. And if it is a foul, why didn’t they give him a red card?
“The fourth official told me he didn’t have control of the ball, and I think he’s right – he didn’t.
“That proved to me it wasn’t a red card. These things happen in the game. I’ll never make excuses for a defeat.
“They were the better side. Neither luck nor the referee can make a team better. They were better than us and they beat us,” he concluded.
