Aguirre fires back at Mourinho ahead of Valencia-Real Madrid: "He's a giant of football and deserves all my respect"

Ahead of facing Real Madrid, Javier Aguirre took time to talk about more than just tactics: he spoke about Jose Mourinho, the man he'll face across the touchline. He did so with a mix of respect and warmth that isn't always common between rivals on the same matchday.

The Mexican coach, who leads a Valencia side sitting second from bottom in the table, didn't dodge the subject when asked about the Portuguese manager's earlier comments. If anything, he addressed them with the ease of someone who has known the man for years.

Jose (Mourinho) is very honest, he tells you what he feels, and it's true that they're more tired, that's true, and as for the rest, everyone has their own feelings. I'll tell you he's honest through and through, and that's always something to value or appreciate on our partJavier Aguirre

He didn't stop there. Aguirre went further and reflected on the relationship he has with Mourinho off the field, with the kind of tone that hands out praise without holding back.

I've known Jose for many years. He's a very good friend and a great coach. I have nothing but words of gratitude for him. He's always been very kind to me, a gentleman, and always open to dialogue. In that sense, he's a giant of football. He's made history and deserves all my respectJavier Aguirre

A match that motivates itself

Friendship aside, there's a game to be won, and the Basque coach knows it. Hosting Real Madrid at Mestalla, with Valencia in need of points, is exactly the kind of fixture that doesn't require extra speeches in the locker room.

That's how Aguirre framed it himself, making clear that this time, the motivation takes care of itself.

It won't be easy, but our mentality is to win. At home, Madrid obviously gets you fired up. I don't need to spend extra time talking about motivation with the players. This time it's not necessary, it's something natural. You're playing against a giant of Europe and the world, with a tremendous coach and tremendous playersJavier Aguirre

On the other side, Mourinho also offered his own take on the matchup at his press conference, delivering it with his trademark irony. The Portuguese coach said Valencia's position in the table matters little to him when preparing to visit Mestalla, and he even used a curious word for the occasion: fear.

Tomorrow's game is scary, scary in quotation marks, with a coach who isn't worried about what I know, who isn't worried about whether his team will play wonderfully well or not so wellJose Mourinho

Two coaches, two very different ways of approaching the buildup, but the same mutual respect shines through before the ball even rolls at Mestalla.