Madrid’s derby left Real Madrid with a 2-1 defeat and another difficult evening for Vinicius Junior, but José Mourinho has not altered his view of the Brazilian forward.
Vinicius was taken off nine minutes into the second half at Atlético de Madrid, with Real already 1-0 behind and reduced to 10 men following Huijsen’s red card. The substitution has not been treated internally as a loss of confidence from Mourinho, who continues to see the 25-year-old as central to his plans at the club.
Mourinho keeps faith in Vinicius
The Portuguese coach does not believe there is a “Vinicius case” at the Bernabéu, despite scrutiny over the attacker’s recent performances. His focus is on helping Vinicius regain the consistency and match-winning influence that made him one of Real Madrid’s leading figures.
Mourinho feels the forward can return to that level if he is given the right conditions and support. The coach’s assessment has remained steady through the pressure surrounding Vinicius and the setback at the Metropolitano.
Their relationship has also been described as positive. Mourinho played an important part in Vinicius agreeing a new contract and celebrated when the renewal was completed, underlining the trust between coach and player.
Public backing after Bernabéu whistles
Mourinho had already stepped in publicly after Vinicius was whistled by sections of the Santiago Bernabéu crowd. Speaking after the match against Inter Milan on 9 September, he accepted that the Brazilian had not yet reached his highest level, while praising his commitment to the team.
“This is not the Vinicius who beats opponents one against one, but he works very hard,” Mourinho said.
He also pointed to Vinicius’s performance against Benfica as evidence of the player’s ability to settle major matches when he is fully confident and sharp. Twelve days on from those remarks, the coach’s position has not changed: Real Madrid’s task is not to look for a replacement role for Vinicius, but to help him rediscover the version of himself that has repeatedly decided European nights and Spanish title races.
