José Mourinho Defends Vinicius After Winning Real Madrid Debut Against Espanyol

Mourinho Defends Vinicius Amid Rising Tensions

Speaking to reporters following the fixture, Mourinho addressed the intense scrutiny and rough treatment directed toward Vinicius by opponents and crowds alike. The Brazilian forward was on the receiving end of a challenge to the back without the ball early in the match, drawing immediate concern from the technical area. Mourinho acknowledged that his current defense of the player might contrast with past encounters when he faced the forward as an adversary, stating clearly that his perspective has shifted now that the player is under his charge.

“I have the risk of you going back months to pull my quotes when I was an adversary of Vini. Now Vini is mine,” Mourinho said. The coach conceded that the forward is not without fault in his on-field antics but stressed that the frequency and nature of the fouls against him have crossed a line. “He is not a saint, but what they do to him is too much. In the first minute. It is something that has a format, a thing that repeats from adversary to adversary.”

Mourinho compared the hostile environment surrounding the player to broader social phenomena, arguing that modern football has failed to protect the forward from targeted hostility. “We are in a social era of anti-bullying and with Vini we are still in the bullying, from adversaries and from the public. We have to educate him and prepare him to the maximum and that is it,” the manager added, noting that he has already spoken with Vinicius about emotional control and goal celebrations.

Tactical Assessment of the Espanyol Victory

On the pitch, Real Madrid claimed three points thanks to a decisive goal by Carlos Espí, earning a victory that Mourinho deemed deserved despite acknowledging the resolute resistance put up by the Catalan visitors. The manager pointed out that his squad maintained strong control and applied heavy pressure, though he admitted that physical conditioning remains a work in progress as he implements his preferred tactical model.

“I think we deserved to win, but Espanyol did not deserve to lose,” Mourinho remarked. He noted that Espanyol benefited from a longer uninterrupted preparation period over the summer because they did not supply players to the recent World Cup tournaments, whereas Real Madrid’s squad is still gathering the necessary match fitness and mileage.

“Neither did I expect Jude to be able to play for so long, there are people below and when it comes to pressing the way I like to press, we lack minutes and kilometers of work and play,” Mourinho explained. The victory, however, provided an immediate boost to squad morale, particularly for substitutes who must maintain team unity throughout a demanding campaign.

Bellingham’s Role and Midfield Balance

Mourinho also detailed his tactical vision for midfielder Jude Bellingham, emphasizing the importance of keeping the English international close to the penalty area to maximize his scoring instincts. Describing Bellingham as mentally and physically robust, the coach argued that deploying him too deep would neutralize his primary assets.

“Physically and mentally he is very strong, for me that is his position, he is a footballer who has goals,” Mourinho said. “If he plays as a six or an eight, we are losing his proximity to the goal.”

Addressing the broader configuration of the midfield, Mourinho touched upon starting the match with Bernardo Silva and Federico Valverde in deeper roles, which he noted temporarily limits Valverde’s trademark surges into the final third. The coach suggested that alternating pairings with defensive anchors like Aurélien Tchouaméni or Eduardo Camavinga could eventually unlock more attacking freedom for the Uruguayan midfielder.

Real Madrid will return to training to refine their tactical cohesion as Mourinho seeks to build upon this opening result without dropping early points in the standings.