José Mourinho’s Real Madrid escaped Rome with a 4-3 Champions League victory, but the night ended with the Portuguese coach turning his anger towards La Liga over Vinicius Junior’s four-match suspension.
Real’s comeback at the Stadio Olimpico delivered three valuable UEFA ranking points for Spanish football, yet Mourinho argued that the timing of the disciplinary decision had damaged his side on one of its biggest European nights.
Vinicius started against Roma but made little impact in his first appearance since being sent off against Villarreal for pulling an opponent’s hair. The Brazilian learned only two hours before kick-off that he had received a four-game domestic ban.
Mourinho attacks timing of Vinicius decision
The Real coach said it was unacceptable for a player to receive confirmation of such a punishment immediately before a major Champions League match.
“Is it normal that a player from a Spanish team, preparing for a match that matters so much to a Spanish club, discovers two hours before kick-off that he has been suspended for four games?” Mourinho said.
He stressed that Real had helped Spain’s UEFA coefficient through their victory in Italy, while claiming the domestic authorities had offered the club no consideration.
“A player learns two hours before the match that he has a four-game suspension,” he said. “This is being done to a Spanish team which has given three points to Spanish football, for the UEFA ranking and for the prestige of Spanish football. They want to kill a player two hours before a match.”
Clasico absence adds to Real frustration
Vinicius will miss the Clasico against Barcelona as part of the sanction, a consequence that further fuelled Mourinho’s reaction after the Roma thriller.
The 63-year-old suggested the league was no longer attempting to disguise what he sees as hostility towards Real Madrid. He questioned why the ruling could not have been communicated the following morning instead.
“Couldn’t they have done it tomorrow morning?” Mourinho asked.
Using a Portuguese expression, he said the hidden cat’s tail was now fully visible, before expanding on his accusation. “The cat is no longer hiding. The cat is walking around freely. Things are now being done without shame.”
Mourinho added that Real supporters would understand the situation. “Real fans are not stupid. I will do everything I can to make people open their eyes.”
The row comes days after Mourinho declined to attend the post-match media duties following Real’s 1-0 league win over Villarreal, extending an increasingly public confrontation between the Madrid coach and La Liga.
