Madrid - Xinhua
Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho was riding high after his side kicked off the season with a 6-0 win away to Zaragoza. Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat-trick as Madrid brushed past a side that put up scant opposition, despite playing in front of their own fans and the ease of the win gave Mourinho the confidence to say this season his side would improve on last season's showing when they amassed 92 points in the BBVA Primera Liga and finished second to FC Barcelona. "Madrid have started with a win and last season we kicked off with a draw (0-0 in Mallorca), so I have the hope that we can get more points this season than in my first year," commented Mourinho. "I am pleased that my strikers scored goals, but I have to look at the big picture. In order to win, you have to play well, because if you don't play well you won't win and if we got this result, it is because we played well," he said in Monday's edition of sports paper, Diario AS. Mourinho admitted that Zaragoza had struggled as a result of missing several first team players and also because of the changes that have happened at the club over the summer. "They have 10 new players and they need time to build a team," he said, contrasting Zaragoza's situation with that of Real Madrid. Mourinho's side kicked off with Fabio Coentrao the only new face in the side in respect from the previous campaign. "I always say that the second season is better if you keep the players from the previous year, so it is tough for them to compete with Madrid. If I lost four key players, I would have problems, so you can imagine what it is like having to train Zaragoza," he concluded. Real Madrid's next league game is in two weeks when they entertain Madrid based side, Getafe.