Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has publicly condemned the treatment of Vinicius Junior, accusing both opposing players and fans of bullying the Brazilian winger. The comments followed Real Madrid’s opening 2-1 La Liga victory over Espanyol on Saturday, a match marked by aggressive tactics directed at the forward.
Tensions flared early in the game when Espanyol’s Alex Calatrava challenged Vinicius from behind within the first five minutes. The defender appeared to make contact with the winger again while he was on the ground, prompting immediate appeals for a red card from the Madrid squad. The referee, however, took no disciplinary action against Calatrava, who later scored the equalizing goal after Jude Bellingham had initially put the visitors in front. The match was ultimately decided in the 90th minute by a goal from late substitute Carlo Espi.
Mourinho described the rough treatment of Vinicius as a recurring issue that spans across different opponents. “Vinicius is no saint, but what they’re doing to him was too much. Right from the first minute. It’s a pattern that repeats itself from one opponent to the next,” the manager stated. He detailed a cycle of provocation, noting, “I’ll give him one, now you give him one. If I get a yellow card, you give him one. If I’m substituted, another player comes on who hasn’t been booked yet, and you give him one.”
Addressing the need for composure, Mourinho emphasized that he has advised the player to remain disciplined despite the provocation. “He needs to have a lot of emotional control. I’ve told him that if he scores a goal, he needs to be careful how he celebrates it,” Mourinho added. He argued that while society generally opposes bullying, the behavior toward Vinicius remains prevalent, necessitating better preparation and education for the player.
The situation recalls a controversy from last season when Mourinho was managing Benfica. During a Champions League match against Real Madrid, Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni was found guilty of homophobic discriminatory conduct toward Vinicius. UEFA subsequently handed Prestianni a six-match suspension. At the time, Mourinho faced significant criticism for defending Prestianni, arguing that Vinicius had incited the crowd through his goal celebrations and asserting that Benfica could not be racist because their legendary player, Eusebio, was Black. The report also notes that who has often been the focus of abuse from rival defenders and crowds, needed to stay composed despite the provocation, the Portuguese coach said Vinicius.
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