Fran Garcia: Mourinho is the best fit for Real Madrid; Bellingham is stronger than when he arrived

Fran Garcia told AS in an interview that Mourinho is the most suitable coach for Real Madrid and said Bellingham is stronger now than when he first joined Real Madrid.

How have your first weeks at Betis been?

Very good. Most of the time we have been away for preseason matches, and La Liga has only just started, but I have been very happy. The team welcomed me from the first day.

Did you expect to make an impact so quickly?

I left Real Madrid because I wanted a bigger role in terms of playing opportunities. My appearance record at Madrid was not bad, but I wanted a different role. At Betis, everything has gone very smoothly: teammates, coaching staff, club employees... They helped me adapt to the new city from the beginning. I had spent 13 consecutive years in Madrid and had never left there.

Taking the step away from Madrid must not have been easy.

Real Madrid is the best club in the world, but the transfer decision had already been made since last season. I was very happy there, played matches, and won the titles I had dreamed of since childhood... But I needed something new. I am not someone who settles for the status quo; I demand a lot from myself. I wanted to show my best self, continue improving, and fight to become a starter. I still had a contract and could have stayed at Madrid, but Betis was the ideal place for my career to move forward. Here I met Isco and Alvaro Fidalgo. They all spoke highly of Betis, which gave me confidence in my decision.

Real Madrid have recently brought in many left-backs.

That is true. I had periods when I was in excellent form and very consistent. After the club signed Alvaro Carreras, I was still able to play important matches at the end of that season, but naturally I had thoughts about it... After Cucurella's transfer was finalized this year, I thought: there are already four left-backs in the squad, and I was unsure how many opportunities I would get. Ferland Mendy was injured but would return by the end of the year. Besides, the club spent 50 million on one signing and 60 million on another. I understood that these new signings would have priority for playing time.

At the Bernabeu, both the club and teammates have always valued you.

Yes, at least that is how I personally felt. In fact, Madrid wanted to keep a priority buy-back clause and retained half of my transfer ownership rights. I came through Madrid's academy and then played more than 100 competitive matches over three years, which was not easy. As for the relationships with everyone, the hardest thing is trying to remain normal. I have always been used to helping teammates when they are struggling, talking with them and listening to them. That bond is very valuable, and in elite football such things have become less common. Everyone focuses on matches and everything happening on the pitch. But I am naturally someone who is close to others. So receiving everyone's affection is something very special.

Did Isco send you a message?

Yes. I worked with him when I first trained with the first team, and we were also together in the season when I made my Real Madrid debut. He sent me a message saying that I could contact him if I needed anything here.

Marcelo once said Isco was the player who impressed him the most.

I agree. I saw him and Rodrygo play both with the first team and Castilla, and those two impressed me the most.

You never worked with Jose Mourinho, but as a Real Madrid fan, how do you view a possible return?

I do not think there is anyone more suitable than him; he is the ideal choice. Last season was very unusual, with too much noise from outside. If someone can organize Madrid, unite the dressing room, manage the relationship with the fans, and let results do the talking, that person is Mourinho.

You worked with Ancelotti. Does he have similarities with Pellegrini?

Yes. Both coaches give players freedom to express themselves and are good at managing the dressing room. I think this is the most important thing for a star-filled club like Madrid. The difficulty of coaching such a team lies there. Ancelotti has done this job extremely well. Pellegrini also understands it deeply. This is his seventh year coaching Betis, and he has managed many top clubs, so he fully understands how to balance different players' individual demands.

Your friend Bellingham seems like a different player.

Madrid's overall situation last year was already quite special. I think the World Cup helped Jude remove some pressure, and now he has found his best form again. In my view, this is his peak period since joining Madrid, even better than his first season. It is not only that his numbers are impressive; his first-year statistics were already outstanding. His influence in matches has become greater. His role has been especially clear this season. I am genuinely happy for him. In my eyes, at this stage he is the best player in the world in his position.

Is it extremely difficult to defend Vinicius as an opponent?

It certainly is when you face him. Vinicius is a player who can change the course of a match. He never lacks courage and keeps trying to attack throughout a game, even when things are not going well. But once he gets going... He was already like this at Castilla, constantly trying until he found success. It is still the same now: his form can fluctuate, but he never disappears. He is also still young and has a great future. Renewing his contract will give him confidence and show him that Madrid have great expectations for him.

How important is Isco to Betis?

He is another player who can change the course of a match. As long as he is physically fit, Isco is undoubtedly among Spain's top midfielders. We all hope he can overcome his injury problems and return to his best physical condition. I ask him about his fitness every day, and he says he feels very good; his condition is improving day by day. His old cartilage injury requires daily attention, and training loads must be managed scientifically, but the injury has not bothered him again recently.

He has already provided an assist against Valencia. Have you set any goals for yourself?

I have always felt that if you stay relaxed, enjoy football, and maintain good physical condition, results will naturally follow. If you force things or set rigid targets for yourself, it often has the opposite effect and only creates anxiety and impatience. I will not set a specific assist target. Keeping a balanced mindset is enough. What should come will come.

When the club signs a World Cup champion like Cucurella for your position...

I have known Cucurella since the Spain youth teams, when De la Fuente coached us. I was one year above him, and he played as a winger at that time. We defended the left side together. I hope we can play alongside each other for Spain's senior national team in the future... Cucurella coming to Madrid and taking the position I once had is simply part of football. When I was at Rayo Vallecano, Chavarria played the same position as me, and now he has also moved to Chelsea.

Finally, Ceballos has become your teammate again.

It is wonderful news. His arrival will bring a qualitative improvement to the team's strength. I am very happy to play alongside him again, and he will achieve great things here. Dani has returned to the club he has always dreamed of, and this will give him strength and help us gain the extra boost needed for the Champions League.

Finally, an interesting detail: you chose the number 11 shirt, which is uncommon for a full-back. Why?

Mainly because there were not many numbers available. Later I learned that Rafael Gordillo also wore number 11. At Betis, there is no better example than him. In the future, I may also have the chance to wear number 3, just like Gordillo did.