Mourinho urges Vinicius Jr to keep control amid abuse

Jose Mourinho has said Vinicius Jr must show "great emotional control" as the Real Madrid winger continues to face abuse and provocation during matches.

Mourinho defends his winger

The Real Madrid manager made the point after Vinicius Jr received what he described as an avoidable yellow card in the club's 2-1 opening La Liga win over Espanyol. The booking came after an argument with midfielder Cala in the first half.

Mourinho said the Brazil international is being singled out by opponents looking for a reaction from the opening stages of games. In his view, that pattern is repeated regularly whenever Vinicius Jr plays.

He also acknowledged that the winger is not beyond criticism, but insisted the treatment he receives goes too far. Mourinho said that, now he is coaching the player directly, he sees the issue from close range and believes the level of hostility aimed at him is excessive.

A long-running issue around Vinicius Jr

According to the source material, Vinicius Jr has faced regular abuse during his eight years at Real Madrid. Mourinho's latest comments come against that wider backdrop, with the manager arguing that both opponents and crowds continue to target the forward.

The source also references a previous incident from a night when Mourinho was in the Benfica dugout, when Gianluca Prestianni was accused of racially abusing Vinicius Jr, an allegation the Argentine denied.

Mourinho's broader concern is that the winger is being drawn into situations designed to unsettle him. His message was not only about dealing with opponents, but also about understanding how on-pitch reactions can influence the atmosphere in the stands.

Half-time warning after Espanyol booking

Mourinho revealed that he spoke to Vinicius Jr at half-time after the yellow card against Espanyol. He said he warned the player to think carefully even about how he might celebrate a goal, because any flashpoint could increase the risk of further trouble and leave his manager concerned about keeping him on the pitch.

That intervention underlined Mourinho's balancing act. On one hand, he is publicly defending one of his key attackers and condemning the treatment he receives. On the other, he is asking Vinicius Jr to manage the emotional side of the contest more effectively.

Bullying claim from the Real Madrid boss

Mourinho framed the issue in stark terms, saying football still remains in a "bullying era" when it comes to Vinicius Jr. He argued that the problem is not limited to one opponent or one stadium, but forms part of a repeated pattern involving both players and supporters.

For Real Madrid, that leaves a familiar challenge early in the new campaign: protecting one of their most high-profile players while ensuring he stays available and unaffected by the attempts to provoke him.