MADRID (AFP) – Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho is set to leave star players Cristiano Ronaldo, Mesut Ozil, Sergio Ramos and Xabi Alonso out of his squad to face third division Alcoyano for their Spanish Cup Last 32 first-leg match on Wednesday.
“I will not play Pepe, neither Ramos or Ozil, Ronaldo or Xabi Alonso. I will use other first team players in accordance with the rules which state we must use at least seven first team members.” the Portuguese coach said.
The former Inter Milan, Chelsea and Porto handler also revealed he will hand starts to youngsters Alex, 20, and Jose Rodriguez, 17.
“I don’t think it’s going to be easy tomorrow (Wednesday) at a stadium where the opposition will be extremely motivated to play against a big team.
“If we can win, all the better but if we can come out of the match with a good result, that wouldn’t be bad either.
“The objective is to get past this round and not commit the errors that Real Madrid made in the past,” added Mourinho after the shock Cup defeat against fourth division Alcorcon in 2009 when the team were coached by Chilean Manuel Pellegrini.
The two-time Champions League winner says he wants to use the talented youngsters coming up through the Real Madrid youth system and who are eager for first-team playing time although he doesn’t always see eye-to-eye with youth team coach Alberto Toril.
“Personally, I want to use players that can be useful to the first team and I don’t want to use players who are on the fringes,” continued Mourinho.
“My relationship with Toril is normal and he has an autonomy that I respect. But a lot of the reserve team players play in a system that is completely different to the first team and I think they feel a bit penalised.”
