Mourinho Defends Vinicius Junior After Real Madrid's Win

Real Madrid escaped with a 2-1 win over Inter Milan at the Santiago Bernabeu, a scoreline that flattered the performance and did little to calm the grumbling in the stands. Kylian Mbappe and Federico Valverde struck for the hosts before Carlos Augusto dragged Inter back into it, and the tension never really left the stadium.

By the final whistle, the jeers aimed at Vinicius told their own story. Mourinho was having none of it.

A win Mourinho wanted – but not like this

Before kick-off, the Portuguese coach had been blunt: he would take an ugly win over a glorious defeat every time. He got the result he wanted, but the path there was chaotic.

“I prefer to say it was a crazy match,” Mourinho told Movistar. “We are often criticised when the match is boring, and today it was crazy, and it could have ended 7-6 without any problem.”

Madrid never controlled the game. Inter repeatedly sliced through a fragile midfield, forcing Mourinho into early changes he did not really want to make.

“Our midfield was weak, they made changes very early, and I did not have many options in midfield,” he admitted, underlining just how stretched his squad looked in the centre of the pitch.

Still, Madrid found a way. Mbappe struck, Valverde added another, and even as Inter kept coming, the hosts clung on.

Courtois saves, but Madrid waste chances

Thibaut Courtois had one of those nights when he seemed to be everywhere. Inter kept creating, and the Belgian kept Madrid alive.

Mourinho, though, pushed back at the idea that his goalkeeper alone had dragged them over the line.

“Courtois made many saves, but how many goals did we waste on the counter-attacks? It was a wonderful match,” he said, pointing to the flurry of missed opportunities at the other end that could have killed the contest.

Valverde’s goal became a reference point for his manager. Mourinho highlighted the Uruguayan’s pressing as a symbol of the collective work that forced Inter into mistakes and opened the door for Madrid’s goals.

Mourinho’s message to the Bernabeu: respect Vinicius

Then came the subject he clearly cared most about.

Vinicius, still searching for his sharpest form, left the pitch to whistles from sections of the home crowd. Mourinho chose that moment to draw a line.

“He has not yet reached his full readiness, and he is not yet the Vinicius we know, but he works a lot, and whoever works and gives everything he has deserves respect,” he said.

No excuses, just a clear demand: effort must count for something at the Bernabeu.

Vinicius now has his answer to the boos. It will not come in front of a microphone. It will come with the ball at his feet, as Real Madrid pivot back to LaLiga and a meeting with Rayo Vallecano that suddenly feels like a test not just of form, but of faith.