Real Madrid's Jose Mourinho after victory over Malaga: I would have replaced my whole team at halftime if possible

Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has admitted that he was unhappy with his entire team's first-half display in the 3-2 victory over Malaga in the Copa del Rey.

Sergio Sanchez and Martin Demichelis gave Malaga a surprising two-goal lead at the break, before Madrid turned the score around in the second half with three goals in 10 minutes, to take an important step towards reaching the quarterfinals of the competition.
cheap jersey
After the match, Mourinho noted that it was crucial to change some things at the break and admitted it was not easy to decide which players he had to replace.

"I told my players at halftime that if I could make 11 substitutions, I would change the entire team," he told reporters at a post-match press conference.

"I could only make three, but I would have changed all 11 players. I changed three players so that the team could do different things, I thought about doing it before the break, but that is not something that I like.

"The three players that I replaced did not play any worse than the rest. I do not want to blame anyone."

Quizzed about the difference in attitude in the players from one half to the other, Mourinho told reporters to ask the players that same question.

"The pace of the match changed and so did the players' focus," Mourinho added. "If we could do it in the second half, why did they not do it in the first one?
2012 pro bowl jerseys
"In the end, what matters in two-legged ties is the result. The most important thing is to win."

The Portuguese coach then remarked that some of his players are not in ideal shape following the Christmas holidays.

"We always try to return [from holidays] with enough time to go before the first match," Mourinho explained.

"But there are people who perceive these holidays as the time to rest, while others travel and do not stop eating and drinking and return a bit different."

The second leg at La Rosaleda is scheduled for Jan. 10.