Jose Mourinho defends Vinicius Junior amid fan frustration | OneFootball

Jose Mourinho moved to shield Vinicius Junior after the forward was whistled by Real Madrid supporters during Tuesday's Champions League win over Inter.

Kylian Mbappe and Federico Valverde scored in a 2-1 win over Inter. According to Goal.com, Vinicius was taken off in the 87th minute to whistles after a subdued night.

Mourinho accepted the Brazilian is short of his best, praised his defensive work and said late fatigue explained spells when he could not track back. He said the time will come when he decides games again.

He also cited Inter's back three with wing-backs as a taxing match-up for wingers. He said Vinicius will always have his backing if he works, and that at his best he would have killed the game, but he gave everything.

The reaction capped a testing spell for the Brazil international. After heavy scrutiny across 2025-26, he committed his long-term future in the summer, yet has begun this season with one goal and two assists in five outings.

Suspensions for Bernardo Silva, Arda Guler and Eduardo Camavinga forced Trent Alexander-Arnold to fill in centrally. Mourinho praised his effort and noted the role demands differ from full-back, adding some turnovers reflected the switch.

Madrid host Rayo Vallecano in La Liga on Saturday, giving Vinicius an immediate chance to answer his critics.

Source: Goal.com

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