An unusual decision from Mourinho before Malaga: he excludes himself and a Real Madrid duo

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José Mourinho brought a touch of humour to his press conference at Valdebebas. He spoke about Real Madrid's preparations for tomorrow's clash against Malaga at the Santiago Bernabéu, then turned the subject of the team's camp into a joke about where the players sleep before the match.

Focus, Mourinho explained, is not just about the players staying together in the hotel or at Valdebebas. What matters most, he said, is mental concentration during training, and that is the key to how any team prepares for a game.

The Portuguese coach said: "There are two types of concentration: concentration during being together and sleeping in the hotel or at Valdebebas, and mental concentration. This is the type that really matters, and it has nothing to do with sleeping in the hotel or at Valdebebas."

What happens on the training pitch gets his full attention. Some sessions might look to spectators like nothing more than warm-ups and passing drills, Mourinho explained, when in truth their later stages demand plenty of work and focus.

Real Madrid's build-up to the Malaga game shaped his thinking too. The side had three days of rest between the two matches, plus a return trip to Madrid that landed at two or three in the morning, so he managed the players' accommodation to fit the circumstances.

Mourinho then signed off on a sarcastic note after revealing the team's programme. "We have a tactical meeting now, we will eat together, spend some time together, and then meet again tomorrow morning," he said.

Laughing, he added: "Cucurella, Espi and I will sleep here at Valdebebas, while the rest will sleep in their homes." The group stay, in other words, is anything but compulsory, with the mood light ahead of the anticipated clash against Malaga.