Jesé Rodríguez is confident he is doing well enough to be given some playing time in the first team. And he has no problems in saying so. The last competitive match with Real Madrid for the 'pichichi' of Real Castilla (13 goals) was on 24th March 2012 against Real Sociedad.

Isn't your objective to move up to the first team?

There are good players in the first team but right now all of us in the academy see it as being a long way off. I don't know what's going on there but Mourinho is picking players from the first team more, which is normal, but I think that the academy is working well too.

Why do you think you have not had an opportunity in the first team?

I don't understand it. I keep on working hard but I don't know. I'm thinking about my team now and myself, that's the priority. I'm going to keep on working hard there and I hope the club knows I'm working hard, I'm sure they do know and they will be watching.

We think you have done enough to earn an opportunity.

Yes, I think so too. But if the opportunities don't come, you lose hope.

But do you still dream about playing for Real Madrid?

Yes, but I'm gradually losing hope, when I see the opportunities aren't coming my way.

Aitor Karanka has always been one of your supporters at the club.

He still is, but we're not so close anymore.

And with Mourinho?

Mourinho is a manager who demands a lot from his players. I tried to learn as much as I could from him and he obviously demands a lot from the academy players, even more so of the academy players, and I learned what I could from him.

Do you think he is a good coach with regard to the academy?

I think he's a coach who surrounds himself with players that have already made it. The academy coach is Toril.