Real Madrid director of football Miguel Pardeza praised Jose Mourinho and his players for the 2-0 victory over Rayo Vallecano.
Pardeza [pictured, right] who played for Los Blancos before 10 years with Real Zaragoza, was particularly pleased with the performance at the Campo de Futbol de Vallecas, a place where he believes Rayo always make it tough for their opponents.
“It is especially difficult here. I don’t know whether it is because of the dimensions [of the pitch] or because of how Rayo play, because they are a team that defends well with aggression and determination, but it was important to take all three points,” he told assembled reporters.
“We needed to win well after a demanding game against the Premier League champions [Manchester City] and this game was crucial because we were becoming detached from the top of the table.”
The 47-year-old also commented on Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored once from the penalty spot but chipped another opportunity onto a post when it seemed easier to score.
“The way I saw it he wanted to put the ball in the net then looked for a teammate before shooting, but our opponents did not allow us to play the way we wanted.”
With respect to a tackle by Lass Bangoura on Pepe in the 29th minute, when the Guinea international appeared to leave his studs in the Brazilian’s face, Pardeza claimed he did not see the incident.
“I could not see it very well, even on television, but it looked quite painful and I hope it’s nothing,” he said.
