Ricardo Carvalho: Real Madrid Coach Jose Mourinho Thinks Like The Players

Real Madrid centre-back Ricardo Carvalho has credited some of Jose Mourinho’s talents to the coach’s ability to think like a player.

Carvalho has followed ‘Mou’ from Porto to Chelsea and now to Madrid, enjoying a unique bond with the ‘Special One’. The 32-year-old Portuguese therefore knows his countryman intimately and has credited his mentality as a big reason for the trainer’s success.

"His Porto was fantastic," Carvalho told AS. "We were all very well attuned and the way we played was perfect."

"He is a coach who thinks like the players or myself: it’s worth more playing badly to win than playing well to lose. The ideal scenario is to play well and get the win, and I know you know that if we win and play badly Mourinho is not entirely happy."

Los Blancos have been criticised this term for not scoring enough goals, but Carvalho is a defender who has admitted he relishes the prospect of pushing forward.

"It’s an impulse to try to go and help,” he said. “The important thing is to read the situation and play. And the only thing complicated is knowing when is the best time to go back."

The defender will show off his talents on Saturday night, when los Merengues meet Levante.