Real Madrid's win over Inter Milan left many of their own supporters unconvinced despite the three points, with the hosts racing into a two-goal lead through Kylian Mbappé and Federico Valverde before enduring a nervy finish after Carlos Augusto pulled one back for the visitors.
Making his debut as a Movistar analyst, club legend Raúl González offered a measured assessment during the broadcast.
"The best thing is that they got the three points, it wasn't easy because Inter is a team with a very well-worked structure and Madrid had absences in midfield," he said, before turning to the closing stages.
"Madrid's goals came from mistakes in build-up play, then they had very clear chances, and that Inter goal created uncertainty at the end, but a good result to begin the campaign."
Moments later, the broadcast cut to the Santiago Bernabéu, where Mourinho was waiting to give his own reaction and was informed of Raúl's diagnosis. The Portuguese coach appeared mildly irritated, glancing at the camera as he wrapped up his answer.
"Not just criticism, something good for us too," he said. Mourinho, who briefly lapsed into Italian during parts of his answer, gave his own account of a chaotic contest.
"I'd rather say it was a crazy game — there's often criticism when a match is boring, but today, when it's crazy... it could have finished 7-6 without any problem. We had a weakened midfield, they made substitutions very early, and in midfield there wasn't much I could do. When I saw the players were in a difficult situation I made changes, but I think the players did a great job. It wasn't boring — we had the chance to make it 3-0 in the last minute of the first half.
"I agree with Raúl that the goals came at a moment of their mistakes, but I want to give credit to my players, because pressing is trained, where to press, the work, and Valverde's goal... that's work. Not just criticism, something good for us too."
Pressed on his side's lack of control over the game, Mourinho pointed out the same applied to his opponents.
"One thing is that you don't have control, and they didn't have it either — the opponent didn't have it either. Courtois made a lot of saves, but how many chances did we waste in transition? It was a great match," he said. Mourinho also revealed what he told Vinícius Júnior, whistled by sections of the home crowd before being substituted late on.
"He has worked a lot, so much. I know it, we all know it, he knows it. He's not sharp yet, Vinícius isn't there yet, but he works hard, and whoever works and gives what he has deserves respect."