Mourinho warns national team coaches: Real Madrid players are exhausted

Mourinho warns national team coaches that Real Madrid players are exhausted from fixture congestion and need rest, not intense training during the international break.

After Real Madrid's eighth consecutive win, a 3-0 victory over Valencia, José Mourinho expressed concern about the upcoming international break. With matches every three days, his squad arrives at their national teams in a state of exhaustion.

Mourinho appealed directly to national team managers to prioritize recovery over intensive training. "I am worried about the international break because if the players stayed with me and my staff, we could give them special attention for their recovery, but they will be with their national teams," he said, noting that nearly his entire squad has been called up.

While acknowledging he has never managed a national team, Mourinho stressed the importance of professional recovery protocols. He singled out Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti, noting that Vinícius and Endrick will be with him, and appealed to all selectors to protect players from overuse injuries.

France manager Zinédine Zidane will face the same challenge with Mbappé, Konaté, Camavinga and Tchouaméni when France travel to Italy on Thursday for their Nations League fixture.