Mourinho happy with early rise

Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho was happy with the midday kick-off in his side’s 7-1 demolition of Osasuna in La Liga on Sunday.

Mourinho’s men stay top of the table following a commanding performance on Sunday, which included a hat-trick from Cristiano Ronaldo, a Karim Benzema brace and further strikes from Gonzalo Higuain and Pepe.

It was the club’s first-ever midday kick-off at home and not all fans had appeared happy with the new time slot, but a sell-out crowd watched Real produce an outstanding display which left their boss delighted.

“It’s fantastic,” Mourinho said. “They (the fans) go home and have the whole day ahead. We don’t need surveys, the fans have responded by filling the ground.”

However, the Portuguese was frustrated at the lack of noise made by Madrid’s sleepy supporters.

“I want to thank some of the fans that were behind one of the goals,” he said. “Because if it was not for them then the stadium would have seemed empty.”

Madrid have now tallied 10-straight wins in all competitions, and Mourinho said that streak shows they mean business in his second season in Spain.

“We are playing well and we are serious,” he said. “I think we deserve all of these consecutive wins. I cannot remember a game we won but did not deserve to.”

Madrid’s win sees them stay top of La Liga, but they are now four points ahead of Barcelona after the title holders’ draw at Athletic Bilbao.