During the press conference, Mourinho spoke out in defense of the French forward Benzema, besides mentioning Van Nistelrooy.
He pointed out that during the King's Cup match against Atletico Madrid, the boos echoing through Santiago Bernabeu Stadium when Benzema was substituted were not directed at the Frenchman, but at the decision to make the substitution.
Mourinho believes that since he began managing Real Madrid, Benzema's training performance and contribution to the team have been commendable; the only shortcoming is the Frenchman's lack of scoring passion and luck.
During the press conference, Mourinho bluntly stated, "I'm satisfied with Benzema's performance. He trains diligently and exerts great effort to transform himself, striving to play at a high level for Real Madrid."
"He lacks goals because he doesn't passionately pursue the goal like other strikers do."
