Former Real Madrid striker Fernando Morientes gave an extensive and honest assessment of the club’s current situation in an interview with AS.
Morientes draws on his experience as a former player and expert in the forward role to talk about changes in management, dealing with young forwards and the structural challenges facing Madrid’s attack.
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Morientes first addressed the departure of Xavi Alonso, questioning whether the former midfielder would have enough time to develop his project.
Morientes believes a clarification from the club will help explain the situation rather than focus blame.
“I don’t know if Xabi was treated unfairly. He should have said what they promised him or what they told him and what the project was.”
Morientes expanded on that idea, making it clear that the problem may have more to do with how the program is managed than the coach himself. He added,
“I think the program has been treated unfairly.”
The former striker also criticized the speed of the decision-making process, arguing that patience is crucial when appointing a coach on a long-term deal.
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Regarding this, he stated, “If you sign a coach for three years and fire him four or five months later it’s very hasty.”
Despite these criticisms, Morientes expressed optimism about Alvaro Arbeloa’s appointment, noting the importance of character and leadership.
“I have a lot of faith in former players with character and I feel like Arbeloa is one of them.”
when endrick exits
Morientes spoke on Enderrick’s exit. (Image source: X/@OL)
The conversation then turned to the forward position, specifically the situation of Ndrick, who left Madrid in search of playing time.
Morientes was forthright in his assessment, arguing that the move should have happened sooner. “Endric should have left early.”
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He went on to explain the difficulties faced by young forwards at Real Madrid, especially with an established star leading the charge.
“It’s not easy to get chances in Madrid, especially when you have a player like Kylian Mbappe in front of you, who is usually on the pitch.”
Morientes cited Gonzalo Garcia as an example to emphasize that opportunities are limited even for players who work tirelessly.
“Opportunities for other people are rare. Look at Gonzalo, for example, this guy has to fight his hardest to get his place and even then, he’s not guaranteed a place.”
Comparing Endrick’s situation to reality, he added, “Enderrick seemed to be as much of a lightbulb as he was. I thought leaving was the best decision.”
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“In fact, it’s long overdue. At the beginning of the season, I said Endrick had to do what every other player does: seek playing time elsewhere.”
More about chemistry
Morientes also discussed whether Ndrick could one day co-exist in the same team as Kylian Mbappe.
“The two of them together? There has to be a coach who plays with the two strikers or lets Mbappe play a little bit on the left, which is his position at PSG, even though Vinicius is there.”
He concluded by explaining that a system like 4-4-2 could make it work, saying:
“So if he keeps doing what he did before, Mbappe keeps doing what he’s doing as a striker, he has to find a coach who loves the 4-4-2.
“Enderrick and Mbappe will have a place in the same team, even though their profiles are similar.”
Finally, Morientes praised Gonzalo Garcia’s value in the team, even after matchdays. “He is very important.
“Players like him can make decision-making easier and, most importantly, improve the quality of training, which is often almost as important as the quality of the games themselves, but training is intangible.”