“Real Madrid Fans Aren't Stupid”: Mourinho Erupts Over Vinícius Ban Ahead of El Clásico
José Mourinho delivered a fierce response to the timing of Vinícius Junior's suspension. One statement made his frustration impossible to miss.
José Mourinho did not hold back following Real Madrid's comeback against Roma. The Portuguese manager used his post-match press conference to question why Vinícius Junior's four-match suspension had been announced just two hours before kickoff.
His frustration was not solely about the punishment itself. Mourinho was particularly critical of the timing of the announcement.
“Do you think it's normal that a player from a Spanish team, about to play a match that is also important for Spanish football, finds out two hours before the game that he has been handed a four-match suspension?” he asked.
The Real Madrid coach then delivered one of his strongest statements of the evening.
“Real Madrid fans aren't stupid, and I'll do everything I can to open people's eyes,” Mourinho declared.
“Things are being done without shame”: Mourinho's pointed criticism
Mourinho turned to a familiar Portuguese saying to explain his suspicions about the situation.
“In Portuguese, there's an expression, and I don't know if it exists in Spanish too, about a cat hiding with its tail sticking out,” he explained.
The saying describes something that is supposedly concealed but remains easy to detect.
Mourinho, however, suggested that even the appearance of concealment had disappeared.
“It seems to me that the cat is no longer hiding. It seems to me that the cat is now roaming freely. Things are being done without shame,” he said.
The Portuguese manager reiterated that he found the timing unacceptable, although he suggested that such situations no longer surprised him.
“It doesn't seem normal to me. But at this point, it does seem normal, because the cat is no longer hiding,” he added.
His comments reflected his suspicions about the announcement, although he did not provide evidence that the decision had been deliberately timed to harm Real Madrid.
Why was Vinícius suspended and how many matches will he miss?
Vinícius Junior received a four-match suspension following his straight red card against Villarreal in LaLiga.
The Brazilian was sent off for pulling an opponent's hair and subsequently protesting the referee's decision.
The punishment carries a major consequence for Real Madrid: Vinícius will miss El Clásico against Barcelona, scheduled for Sunday, October 25, at Spotify Camp Nou.
His absence from the fixture adds another dimension to the controversy Mourinho raised after the match against Roma.
Mourinho explains how Vinícius reacted before the Roma match
During the press conference, Mourinho was also asked whether the announcement had affected Vinícius emotionally.
According to the manager, the Brazilian “tried to block out difficult feelings” as he prepared for the game.
Mourinho then drew a comparison with his own experience of returning to face a club and supporters with whom he shares a personal connection.
“But I've also had to do that to play here against my people, to play here in my stadium, to play here with people I love,” he said, referring to his past with Roma.
The Portuguese coach suggested that both he and Vinícius had needed to manage difficult emotions ahead of the match.
Three key takeaways from Mourinho's reaction to Vinícius' ban
- “Real Madrid fans aren't stupid”: Mourinho questioned why the suspension was announced only two hours before the Roma match and said he would try to open people's eyes.
- A four-match suspension: Vinícius was punished following his red card against Villarreal and subsequent protests toward the referee.
- Vinícius will miss El Clásico: The Brazilian is ruled out of Real Madrid's October 25 meeting with Barcelona at Spotify Camp Nou.
