Mourinho urges Vinicius to keep his emotions in check

25/08/2026

MADRID, Aug 25: Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho believes Vinicius Junior has been unfairly targeted but says the Brazilian forward must do more to control his emotions and reactions to provocation.

Mourinho, who has made a relatively calm start to his second spell in charge of Real Madrid, said Vinicius could improve his relationship with opposing fans following several confrontations with Espanyol supporters and players during the team’s La Liga opener last Saturday.

Speaking ahead of Real Madrid’s match against Real Sociedad today, Mourinho distinguished between incidents that occur on and off the pitch.

“When it comes to his reaction to fans and insults, and if they are not racist insults but the usual abuse from supporters, I think he can control that better,” Mourinho said. “I think he can improve his relationship with opposing fans.”

However, Mourinho said the responsibility for dealing with fouls and the frustration they cause rests with referees.

“When it comes to fouls and the accumulation of frustration he feels, that is the responsibility of the referees, or judges as I like to call them, in terms of protecting the players and the game,” he added.

Mourinho acknowledged that managing Vinicius during matches can be difficult, but believes the forward can work on improving his relationship with opposition supporters.

The Portuguese coach faced criticism last year after criticizing Vinicius when the Brazilian accused an opponent of making a racist remark during a Champions League match against Benfica. Mourinho was coaching Benfica at the time and argued that Vinicius had provoked the opposing players with his goal celebration.