Mourinho: If I were Vinicius, I would have left Real Madrid
The Portuguese coach announces his star's participation against Leipzig
Jose Mourinho has leapt to the defence of Vinicius Junior after the Brazilian was handed a four-match ban in La Liga, insisting the winger has exceptional strength under pressure. The Real Madrid coach also admitted he would have walked out of the club himself had he been in the same position.
Mourinho spoke at his press conference ahead of tomorrow's visit of Sevilla in La Liga, with Vinicius serving his suspension following his red card against Villarreal. The timing added to the noise around the forward, who was criticised for his display against Roma in the Champions League, where Mourinho withdrew him on 59 minutes and sent on Endrick.
That substitution visibly angered Vinicius. He later explained he wasn't upset with his coach, but with himself for falling short of the level he expects.
Mourinho reveals the reason behind Vinicius's struggles against Roma
Asked about Vinicius, Mourinho first poked fun at the interest in the squad's daily movements, then put a large share of the blame for the Brazilian's difficult night on Roma coach Gian Gasperini.
As reported by Spanish newspaper "AS", he said: "I am curious to know whether people are interested in knowing when we arrive at Valdebebas, and also when we leave. It's funny."
He added: "Vinicius had an extremely difficult match, and for me, the person most responsible for the difficulty of the match he played is Gasperini, because he attacked constantly down his side. It was very difficult for me, as a coach, to make the changes."
What irritated the Portuguese wasn't simply his team's performance. It was the timing of Roma's second goal, which arrived with the game level and Real Madrid in no real trouble.
He continued: "In the second half, Roma changed their approach, and what bothered me was the nature of the second goal, because it came when the match was balanced and we had no problem at all. He shouldn't have done what he did, but it's over, and there's no problem. I made 5 changes, not just one. Substitutions are part of football."
Will Vinicius start Wednesday's match?
Criticism came with a carrot. Mourinho stressed that Vinicius needs to work harder, while hinting he could return to the starting line-up against Leipzig in the Champions League on Wednesday.
He said: "Vinicius has to work more, and without promising anything, because I don't like making promises, I think he will start on Wednesday."
On the four-match ban, Mourinho sounded almost relieved, suggesting he had braced himself for something far heavier.
He said: "I'm happy with the punishment, because they were going to punish him with more matches. I thought that certain things arranged behind the scenes would get him one or two extra matches."
Mourinho: if I were in Vinicius's position I would have left Real Madrid
Turning to how he handles the player's personality, Mourinho made no attempt to hide his admiration for the man behind the headlines, insisting their relationship is strong and that they carve out time to talk privately every day.
The Portuguese coach said: "He's a wonderful young man, and it's easy to build a good relationship with him. I spend a few minutes alone with him every day, and I value him greatly, because he always manages to carry on with his life and endure with a smile."
Then came the line that will travel. "If I were in his position, I probably wouldn't have stayed here. I would have forced the club to let me leave for a country where they respect me, but he stayed because of his sense of belonging to Real Madrid and his love for the club."
He continued: "He believes that things can get better, and that's why he keeps smiling. Nothing and nobody can take that smile away from him."
Vinicius's secrets with Mourinho: a message about his love for Real Madrid
Pushed on whether he offers Vinicius advice beyond football, Mourinho kept their private conversations private. Instead he pointed to the player's contract renewal as proof of his desire to stay and write history in the white shirt.
He said: "Those are private conversations. When he renewed his contract, he signed to say that Real Madrid is his home, and he had the enthusiasm to carry on making history and winning titles."
Mourinho also praised the forward's standing in the dressing room, adding: "He has a good relationship with everyone in the dressing room, and he is a source of joy."
His final word underlined just how heavy the load has been. "I have serious doubts that I would have had the same strength to stay here, despite all the offers that were in front of him."
