Real Madrid’s Antonio Adan: Jose Mourinho Has Helped Us Grow As Professionals

Real Madrid goalkeeper Antonio Adan has expressed his gratitude to coach Jose Mourinho for sustaining faith in him and explains how the Portuguese has made the team more confident.

Adan has made his debut for the Madrid first team in the Champions League, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Primera Division under the Portuguese this season and has made his importance as Iker Casillas’ deputy felt.

The 23-year-old is happy to make his way up the ranks and learn from the masters, and is delighted just to be part of the team.

“I’ve been at the club for many years and have experienced a lot here,” Adan told RealMadrid TV. “Having finally made it after so much hard work and sacrifice, I intend to enjoy being a Real Madrid player.”

Lavishing praise on coach Mourinho, he enthused: “He’s helped all of us grow as professionals and we all respect him a lot. He works hard and has won everywhere he’s been, so evidently that’s something to be respected.

“He’s shown confidence in all of us and has, subsequently, helped us improve as players. He makes all of us feel important and that’s fundamental for a squad at a club like Real Madrid.”

The Blancos will confront their arch-rivals Barcelona in the final of the Copa del Rey in April and Adan is hopeful of a victory.

“It’ll be a great match,” opined Adan. “At the start of the season we all really wanted to get to the final and through hard work we’re there. Little by little we’ve put Real Madrid back at the top where they should be. We’re playing a Copa del Rey final and we’re in a good position in both La Liga and the Champions League.”

He added: “The Copa del Rey is important for him Mourinho and for us as well. At the start of the season, when we talked about all three competitions, we gave them all the same importance. The Copa del Rey has sentimental value for both the club and the fans, so that makes it as important as La Liga and the Champions League.”

Adan is also glad that Madrid have broken their last 16 jinx in the Champions League.

“Yes, the club and squad had lost confidence having failed to get past the last 16 stage in the last few years,” admitted the Spaniard. “But this season we’ve broken that barrier and now feel confident that we can reach the final and win it.”

Madrid take on Tottenham Hotspur in the quarter-finals of Europe’s premier club competition with the first leg to be staged at the Bernabeu on April 5.