'A bad player will always be bad!' – Jose Mourinho sends clear message over Vinicius Jr. role
Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has outlined his management philosophy regarding Vinicius Jr., stressing that collective success takes priority over any individual. Speaking after rotating his squad against AEK Athens, Mourinho praised the locker room's support for the Brazilian forward.
Mourinho manages forward line amid tight schedule
Jose Mourinho has provided insight into his tactical management of Vinicius Jr. as Real Madrid navigate a heavy autumn fixture list. The Brazilian forward featured in midweek as Madrid secured a 3-2 Champions League win over AEK Athens, allowing team-mates like Arda Guler to rest.
Mourinho reiterated that long-term squad rotation is vital to keeping Real Madrid competitive on all fronts.
However, the manager made it clear that team selection will always be governed by collective priorities rather than individual status.
Team priority comes above any individual player
"For me, the most important thing is the team. Never by my own will would I harm the team to benefit a player," Mourinho stated firmly.
"When we return to normal with Vini Jr. being available, I’ll manage it. I want the team to think game by game, but as a coach, I have to think about the next matches and the sequence of games we have."
"The match against AEK was for Vini Jr., to give some rest to a player like Güler, who had some issues," he explained.
Full backing for Vinicius to rediscover peak form
Mourinho expressed complete confidence in Vinicius' ability to return to his highest level, pointing to the support system within the dressing room.
"A bad player will always be bad no matter how much you try to improve them. A good one has their bad moments but leaves the door open to return to their normal state," Mourinho said.
"The game that Vini Jr. played in Athens—if it wasn’t Vini Jr. but a regular player—we’d all say he had a good game. Not incredible because his team didn’t play incredibly. We always expect the Vini Jr. who eliminated me from the Champions League, and that version exists, which we all expect. Something important is the friendship of his teammates, without exception," he added.
Real Madrid prepare options for Valencia test
Mourinho reaffirmed that squad decisions will always be made in the best interest of Real Madrid's collective results.
"When deciding who plays, the team is above the individual," the manager concluded.
Real Madrid prepare to deploy their full attacking arsenal as they face Valencia away at the Mestalla.
