Mourinho draws the line
Jose Mourinho faced the press on Monday, on the eve of Real Madrid-Inter Milan. One name kept coming up in the questions: Endrick.
The Portuguese boss did not dodge it. “Tomorrow, he might be ready for 5 or 10 minutes, maximum. And that is it. He trained yesterday with the team for the first time,” he said.
The Brazilian forward has not played a competitive minute since a summer friendly. A muscle problem picked up in pre-season ruled him out and has cost him the whole start of the Liga campaign.
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A thin bench helps him
Mourinho gave the real reason he is in the squad. “As we have so many free spots on the bench, he is here. And maybe he has to play 5 minutes,” he said.
The coach also moved quickly to shut down any tactical guesswork. “He is an attacking player, and he will play up front. Relax, he will be neither a full-back nor a centre-back. He will be a striker.”
The tone is almost playful. What sits underneath it is less funny: Madrid go into their opening European night with a battered squad, calling up a player who has only just walked out of the treatment room.
The gamble of staying in Madrid
Endrick is 20, and he already made a career call. Loaned to Olympique Lyonnais last season, he put together a sharp half-season there: 8 goals and 8 assists in 21 matches.
Those numbers brought interest. He waved it away. The Brazilian wanted to return to Spain and turned down another loan. His injury pushed back the test of that decision.
Five minutes against Inter will not settle anything. They will at least get the clock ticking again.
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