Jose Mourinho distinguished between on-field and off-field matters involving Vinicius Junior during a pre-match news conference on Tuesday. The Portuguese coach, now in his second spell at Real Madrid after leading the club from 2010 to 2013, said the Brazilian forward has been unfairly targeted by opponents and supporters. Mourinho added that while some reactions stem from accumulated frustration, Vinicius can do more to improve his interactions with opposing fans.
“There is on the field and off the field,” Mourinho said. “The reaction to fans and insults, obviously if they are not racist or homophobic insults, but the typical insults by fans, then I think he can control it better. His relationship with the opposing fans, I think he can do better.” The coach noted this element of Vinicius’s game is something the team can address directly. Real Madrid defeated Espanyol 2-1 in its La Liga opener on Saturday, a match that featured several confrontations involving the forward.
Mourinho placed the onus for handling repeated fouls and resulting player frustration on referees, whom he described as judges with a duty to protect participants. “In the game, when it comes to the fouls and the accumulation of frustration that he feels, that’s the responsibility of the referees, or the judges, as I like to call them, in terms of their responsibility to protect the players and the game,” he stated according to multiple accounts of the briefing. The comments follow a pattern in which Vinicius has drawn heavy attention from rival players starting from the opening minutes of matches.
The Portuguese manager acknowledged that influencing Vinicius during active play presents greater difficulty than addressing his relationship with hostile crowds. Mourinho faced criticism last year while coaching Benfica after he questioned the forward’s character in response to claims of racist abuse during a Champions League fixture. That earlier exchange underscored tensions that have followed Vinicius across multiple seasons in Spanish football.
Mourinho described himself as calmer in his current role and better equipped to control his own emotions than during his first tenure at the Santiago Bernabeu. He credited the current squad and staff with shielding him from elements of his former fiery personality. The remarks came as Real Madrid prepares to host Real Sociedad on Wednesday in the coach’s first home league appearance since his return.
The session also touched on Mourinho’s private conversation with Vinicius at halftime of the Espanyol match, where he advised caution over goal celebrations to avoid further issues. Reports from the news conference indicated the coach views the treatment of Vinicius as entering a repetitive spiral that opponents exploit. Such briefings have highlighted the forward’s central role in Real Madrid’s attacking plans this season.
