Bernabéu`s beloved madridistas after 1-1.
I reproduce the article ,posted at the Cup Final Match thread.
Changing Culture of Real Madrid . ( Mourinho C.F.)
"What else could we do?" Asked an experienced Madrid player yesterday ,being mentally unresolved after the game. "If you let them play they will paint your face!".
On Saturday, against Barca, Real Madrid did something never had done before in its history: giving up the ball on a classico. Mourinho ordered his players to wait & start back and create pressure and, once recovered the ball, launching counterattacks with more intention of verticality accuracy. The team had the ball more than 27% of playing time. It was an unusual statistic that reveals a change in philosophy and character. Even in the leg in the Nou Camp, Real Madrid had the ball of : 37%.
The mentality that the Spanish players faced in the two classicos were different. In November, they found that the tactics of Mourinho was not totally right. Yesterday, before the same plan, were more confident, more resigned. The effect of the first round of 5-0 permeated so deeply into the locker room during last week's comments were the players on the club used to have a somber tone. "There is panic," said a Madrid club employee. Mourinho did nothing to change this impression. Conversely, the coach encouraged the inferiority complex among his players. The idea that Madrid is a limited team and that the only way to counter it is to accept the Barca reality.
Mourinho has launched a cultural transformation in the workforce and in the crowd. After the 1-1, left the Bernabeu fans satisfied, but the score they practically stripped themselves off the championship. The climate of complacency is also new to Club, where any result other than the victory was taken for good. The same audience that watched with suspicion, and Juande Capello for his conservatism, was proud on Saturday of a more defensive approach yet.
In October 2006, the Madrid de Capello, a transformation whose team was more exciting signing Van Nistelrooy, faced Barca Ronaldinho and Messi, who had just won the Champions . The result was a possession time of 40% and a victory (2-0). In midfield played Diarra, Emerson and Guti. But the intention of having the ball was more determined than last Saturday. In the Camp Nou, the same season, Capello's Real Madrid won 40% of possession and eight shots on goal (3-3). Two years later, with Juande Ramos, Real had a 42% of possession in the Camp Nou and Bernabeu. Pellegrini intend to manage the ball a bit stressed: 45% in Madrid and 42% in Barcelona.
In the last five seasons, the club has invested over 500 million on signings.
Mourinho for months complained that the referees showed Madrid more cards than his opponents, especially at the home. "If we show fewer cards is because we are always over the ball," Pique said yesterday after protesting Mourinho again.
Statistics have their law, since it is rare rebuke who drives the ball over possession less punishment. In Saturday's game, however, showed five yellow Muñiz to the FC Barcelona to make 14 fouls and two to the Madrid fans do 22. A balance that did not stop Mourinho complaining again, "Barça let you make of it."