Mourinho: "With Higuain has been what I expected"

Have you been able to talk with Higuain?

I tried talking to him but I did not succeed. It is normal after surgery; he does not pick up the phone and has to rest. But I talked to the doctor, and everything is normal, as expected, what I said long ago. After John Terry operation it was just what the doctor said. One thing is the recovery from surgery and other a recovery of the player. With John it was the same, he returned to training months later and played a couple of months later, but in order to become the best England central, it cost. Today John is the same but has suffered a lot. About Higuain, to be on top I think we'll wait at the start of next season, is basically what I expected. We all want everything goes well and return to being the player we know.

Confirmed the four-month low of Higuain, the club supports the possibility of hiring someone. It is a battle won ...

I have no fight with anyone at Real Madrid. I try to be honest. I spoke to the club a couple of months to say how I saw the situation. I have been honest, while not being a doctor or know little about medicine, my experience told me that Higuain will not play again this season, when others said he would be for Lyon. The club knows my position, but the club is sovereign. I will work every day and the club's decision is the decision of the club.

Failure to sign a striker in winter, does it reduce the chances of success of the team?

I do not know. Obviously a greater number of options are always a help to the coaches.The other day I commented, the Arsenal has Van Persie, Chamakh, Bendtner, Arshavin and a fifth I do not remember. It has five forwards. The Milan has Ibra, Cassano, Inzaghi who is now injured, Robinho, Pato ... We have begun the season with Higuain and Karim and are an attacking team. But hey, there is no perfect team. Perhaps the team that has many strikers has not covered other positions. We have five central defenders and I will not talk about this any longer.

The other day Cani threw you a bottle and the competition committee did not sanction him. What do you think? What if you had done?

I'm glad that they have removed the card because I do not like having players suspended. I like watching the best in the field. Cani is a good player and Villarreal plays a very important game. For me, there is no problem but as you say, if my player throws a bottle, he cannot play for three months, and if I do that, I will not back to a bench in all my life. But do not worry; the bottle had a little water. There was no aggression, was a gesture of someone who is just one of those who think that what I do has a negative connotation. But I'm glad he can play tomorrow.

What Atletico is expected tomorrow?

I hope the best Atletico of all. Is a team that played very well at the Bernabeu. We have controlled them better than to Villarreal, but they play very well. Atletico has a very good coach and good players. Now it has a deep wound, because losing a game 4-1 is not easy, we know. The worst thing that could happen was the Atletico defeat in Alicante, because our match will be much more difficult than normal. They also know that will play the second match at home with supporters that help a lot, and will be a tough match.

What about Kaka? Is he going to be starter tomorrow?

He is progressing. I'm not going to give the alignment, but Kaka is progressing. He takes three games at a good pace. The match against Villarreal was high intensity. Against Getafe match was won when he entered. Against Levante there was no history. The sensations are better.

What about Lass after what happened against Villarreal?

I changed him because the team was not right. I could not change at 4, 5 or 6 players because I would play with only three defenders and knew that later, if the team did not win, we change to play without Albiol. At that time was best for the team having Khedira, which may be third central. I analyzed the game at that time and what could be done later, and was the best decision. I always think of the feelings of the players but during the match I just think of the team. Maybe it was not a decision that has been good, but I just think of the team.

Are you worried about the fatigue of January?

I prefer to wear this to be out of the Champions League or have no chance of winning the League. We have on staff some players who can give the possibility of rotations. We now have in midfield Lass, Khedira, Granero… and we have no reason to play through January with the same two. In defense we can do rotations. Up front, people always know who will play.