Message to the victims and those affected by the crash: "Before we begin, on behalf of everyone at Real Madrid, our heartfelt condolences go out to the families and friends of the victims of the Urda tragedy. They have our warmest embrace and our deepest sympathies."

Ballon d'Or: "I had the privilege of managing Kane. He is an outstanding professional, an exceptional player, and a fantastic human being. Setting aside the personal disappointment of my own player missing out, I must be honest and say I am delighted for Harry. At 31 or 32, he thoroughly deserves this crowning achievement in his career. On the other hand, I believe Kylian is truly one of a kind. A Ballon d'Or is handed out every year, but there is only one greatest player in World Cup history, and that is him. As for the voting, what genuinely flabbergasted me was seeing Bellingham down in 11th. No comment. Let's just leave it there."

Clash against Racing: "We are preparing meticulously for this match. Racing have won three and drawn two of their five home fixtures since promotion. Sunday afternoon kick-offs are not something we are accustomed to, and it promises to be tough. Our victory in El Clasico only carries genuine weight if we secure all three points tomorrow. Drop points, and that derby win loses its sheen. We must respect Racing. They will approach this with real ambition, so we certainly will not be taken by surprise."

Fixture complaints: "Playing four consecutive away matches is virtually unheard of. We could easily have played today, yet we are made to play tomorrow with less recovery time. Against Valencia, we could have played on Sunday, yet they have scheduled us for Saturday. It is quite the 'gift', whether from the league or the broadcasters. We simply have to confront it and see if we can wipe the smile off their faces."

Potential banana skin with an eye on Europe: "It is a treacherous fixture. Every match is, whether home or away. On the road, hostile atmospheres and relentless pressure only crank up the challenge. Every opponent tests you differently, and Racing remain unbeaten on home turf. Meanwhile, AEK face Panathinaikos tomorrow, which means we will encounter a Champions League opponent on Wednesday that is either buoyant or baying for blood. The hurdles are mounting, but this will test our squad depth, character, and togetherness. The players are fully focused and motivated."

Vinicius' absence: "I do not lose sleep over Vinicius' personal situation. I do not operate with a rigid starting line-up. Football today is worlds apart from 10 or 20 years ago—it is faster, far more intense, and physically relentless. Reeling off a settled starting eleven from memory is virtually impossible nowadays. As I have always maintained, our midfield flourishes when we blend contrasting profiles. There are no undisputed starters and no permanent benchwarmers. Vinicius? It is straightforward: he sits out domestically and starts in the Champions League. I adore him, I need him, and I want his suspension served. That does not mean he walks straight back into the side, nor is it an issue. I have an exceptional squad."

Mbappe's mindset: "Kylian is remarkably sharp and mature. He possesses immense self-belief alongside exemplary conduct. The elegance and respect he displayed towards Harry's Ballon d'Or win spoke volumes. Knowing you are the best is one thing; showing genuine respect for someone who earned their accolades through sheer hard graft is another. As for this situation regarding China... these are the perils of the modern game, where saying nothing is often your smartest move. The traps are everywhere. He carried himself impeccably on behalf of a world-class club. There is nothing left to say or do. Cool heads must prevail. My club is Real Madrid and my player is Kylian Mbappe. Both the club and Kylian handled the matter with class and responded swiftly. I feel completely represented."

Valverde benched: "When you assemble a squad with two players for every position and end up deploying a third option, it hurts. It grates on me. But the collective objective must always trump individual preference. I felt slotting Valverde in at full-back was the best decision for the team. Trent and Dumfries took my reasoning like consummate professionals when we spoke. Over a long campaign, everybody plays. Tomorrow, for instance, Fede will not start. I certainly do not foresee Trent or Dumfries knocking on my door asking for a move."