Mourinho Puts the Focus on How Vinícius Is Treated

José Mourinho once again made it clear that he will not stay on the sidelines when it comes to defending Vinícius Júnior. Ahead of the clash between Real Madrid and Real Sociedad, the Portuguese manager questioned the way opponents approach the Brazilian and directly criticized referees for failing to stop actions that could lead to more dangerous situations.

The debate gained momentum after Real Madrid's 2-1 win over Espanyol, a match in which Vinícius was kicked during the opening minutes. According to Mourinho, the incident should have been punished more severely. The player involved, Álex Calatrava, went on to score for the home side and was later shown a yellow card following another clash with the Brazilian attacker.

Mourinho Compares Vini's Treatment to Bullying

The comparison made by Mourinho was one of the most striking statements from his press conference. The Portuguese manager explained that footballers, much like children, can push the limits as far as they are allowed to.

“It's like little kids, who go as far as you allow them to go,” the manager said, referring to the way opponents behave against Vinícius.

The manager was also particularly critical of the VAR's work on the incident against Espanyol. Mourinho acknowledged that the referee may not have seen the challenge, but questioned why the other members of the officiating team did not intervene.

According to his comments, VAR “didn't do its job very well,” although he stopped short of questioning the honesty of Spanish referees.

Mourinho Also Points Out What Vinícius Can Improve

Mourinho's defense of Vinícius did not mean that he justified every aspect of the Brazilian's behavior. The manager drew a distinction between the actions that are the player's responsibility and those that, in his view, must be controlled by the referee.

Mourinho believes Vinícius can improve his relationship with opposing fans, particularly when responding to insults that are unrelated to racial issues.

However, when it comes to kicks, penalties and frustration caused by physical contact, Mourinho firmly stated that responsibility belongs to the match official. He even used his own personality as an example. The Portuguese manager joked that if he received a kick like that at the start of a match, he would probably be sent off minutes later because of his temperament.

Mourinho Closes the Door on More Signings Ahead of Bernabéu Return

While defending his main attacking star, Mourinho also discussed the state of the Real Madrid squad ahead of the game against Real Sociedad.

The Portuguese manager said that, in his mind, the squad is closed after bringing in six new players, all of whom featured in the victory over Espanyol. However, he acknowledged that the transfer market can still produce unexpected developments.

The manager left the door open to the possibility of a player requesting a move or an extraordinary offer arriving for one of his players. Even so, his current position is that he is satisfied with the group at his disposal.

The clash with Real Sociedad carries plenty of emotional weight as it will mark Mourinho's return to the Santiago Bernabéu as Real Madrid manager. The coach played down how he will personally be received and asked the fans to focus their energy on supporting the team.