How Mourinho ‘tried to comfort’ Vinicius Junior before leaving fans in ‘hysterics’ by ‘doing a Wenger’

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·18 February 2026

How Mourinho ‘tried to comfort’ Vinicius Junior before leaving fans in ‘hysterics’ by ‘doing a Wenger’

Jose Mourinho ‘tried to comfort’ a ‘furious’ Vinicius Jr by blaming him for suffering alleged racist abuse. But Cole Palmer holidaying is a bigger story.

The Sun website handles the Benfica v Real Madrid controversy hilariously and predictably terribly.

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Marcus Rashford is also on a collision course with a future Manchester United teammate.

Comfort zone

It really does not feel an outlet as prominent as The Sun website is particularly well equipped to handle a situation like that which unfolded during the Benfica v Real Madrid game on Tuesday.

Vinicius Jr was the victim of alleged racist abuse and there is a need to convey and verbalise that properly, sensibly, accurately and like adults. Which means not compiling a story based on tweets or using any other regrettable clicky online tactics.

They thankfully avoid scraping the bottom of that particular barrel, but writing stuff like ‘Vinicius appeared to complain about being racially abused’ isn’t helpful either.

He absolutely complained about being allegedly racially abused. Trying to cover yourselves by pretending he ‘appeared to’ is just unnecessary.

In another story, it is said that ‘a furious Vinicius walked off the pitch while several figures, including Benfica chief Jose Mourinho, tried to comfort him’.

And that is far more problematic, because Mourinho has openly admitted what he said to Vinicius at the time:

“I told him, ‘when you score a goal like that you just celebrate and walk back.’ When he was arguing about racism, I told him the biggest person [Eusebio] in the history of this club was black. This club, the last thing that it is, is racist.”

Those words, the victim blaming that comes with saying Vinicius should “celebrate in a respectful way”, and the way Mourinho agreed Vinicius incited the crowd, are just some of the many ways in which the manager ‘tried to comfort him’.

The same outlet then runs a ‘Jose Mourinho SENT OFF in Benfica vs Real Madrid clash – but Special One’s response leaves fans in hysterics’ headline elsewhere.

Literally the entire point of the story is apparently that Mourinho was sent to the stands but ‘only went to sit in the first row of seats behind the bench, amusing those close to him,’ which does sound absolutely hysterical in all fairness. Oh, Jose, you cad.

Is it absolutely necessary to hoover up any remaining ‘Jose Mourinho = Box Office’ clicks in big 2026 after his risible reaction to a story of actual importance and consequence?

Face Palm

By the way, the biggest story in all of football at Wednesday lunchtime, the busiest period for traffic, with all the above taken into account?

Let’s stick with The Sun website because it’s apparently this:

‘Beaming Chelsea star Cole Palmer plays drum while balancing plate on head as waiter pours out a shot’

F**king hell.

Again, they just are not equipped to deal with matters of actual importance. But at least pretend to be a halfway serious news outlet, guys.

No way, Jose

On a similar note is this from the Daily Star website:

‘Mourinho sits in stands after red card chaos as fans say he’s ‘doing a Wenger”

Can’t remember the time Wenger dismissed alleged racism by invoking the name of David Rocastle or instinctively blaming the victim because siege mentality but sure.

Rash decision

Marcus Rashford is in the news again. Fear not, The Tories – he isn’t feeding hungry children. But he ‘faces awkward chat with Man Utd team-mate if Michael Carrick gets his wish’.

That is according to the Daily Express website, which reveals ‘an uncomfortable situation’ that awaits Rashford if he does return to his parent club at the end of the season.

Unless Ruben Amorim is still lurking in the hallways at Carrington, things should be okay and at the very least professional, surely?

Except no, because ‘if he does make his way back to Old Trafford, a discussion with those responsible for squad number allocation might be a priority’.

It feels like a discussion with someone to address his future, be that at Manchester United or elsewhere, could be more important. But yeah, he’ll want a scrap with Matheus Cunha over the No.10 shirt first.

Of course, Rashford has somehow made do at Barcelona so far without having a 10 on his back.

‘Rashford’s success at the Camp Nou hasn’t been hindered by his unfamiliar shirt number,’ it unashamedly and unironically says here. ‘Should he return to United, the No. 14 jersey he has flourished in at Barcelona is currently unoccupied at Old Trafford.’

That’s a f**king relief.

‘However, Rashford may desire to reclaim his old number as a show of authority in the event he does come back.’

That definitely sounds like something Marcus Rashford or indeed any sane, adult player would do – demand their old shirt number back from a new signing once they return from a loan ‘as a show of authority’.

Just when things were going so well for Manchester United, this unavoidable and definitely real ‘awkward chat’ comes up.

Quality street

Mediawatch has read through Andy Dunn’s apparent defence of Arsenal in the Daily Mirror numerous times and still the general point behind his 393 words proves elusive.

A headline of ‘Jamie Carragher and Wayne Rooney are wrong about Arsenal – they do have world-class quality’ promises something explosive, a fiery rebuttal to a harsh punditry critique of the Premier League leaders and current best team in Europe.

Yet he himself writes that Rooney are Carragher were ‘suitably complimentary’ of a team both believe are still favourites to win at least the Premier League, with ‘the former saying Mikel Arteta is handling matters “brilliantly” and the latter lauding the team’s “great mentality”.’

It doesn’t sound as though ‘fulsome praise is still difficult to come by’ for the Gunners but okay.

Still, what’s this thing about ‘world-class quality’? Well Carragher has again pointed out that none of their forwards would make a current Team of the Year (which is entirely fair), while Rooney said they do not have “a Cristiano Ronaldo, Didier Drogba or Sergio Aguero-type player that is going to make a difference” (which is entirely fair).

Dunn’s riposte – ‘Jamie Carragher and Wayne Rooney are wrong about Arsenal – they do have world-class quality’, remember? – is that five of the Champions League’s top eight teams were from the Premier League ‘and you don’t lead a competition of that strength merely by efficiency alone,’ while this team ‘has more quality than it is given credit for’.

Neither Carragher nor Rooney doubted that at any point. They just said Arsenal don’t have a calibre of game-changing forward up there with the great Premier League teams. Which they don’t. But that they are still favourites. Which they are.