I would have forced Real Madrid exit if I were Vinicius – Mourinho

Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has said he would have forced an exit from the Spanish giants during the summer if he were Brazilian forward Vinicius Junior, citing the repeated hostility and racial abuse the winger has endured from opposition supporters.

Mourinho described the 26-year-old as a spectacular player and an admirable person, praising his resilience in continuing to play and maintain a positive attitude despite the challenges he has faced since joining Real Madrid in 2018.

The Portuguese coach said he would probably have left the club in search of a league and country where rival supporters and opposing stadiums showed him greater respect.

Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Mourinho said Vinicius deserved credit for continuing to enjoy his football despite the repeated incidents of hostility directed at him.

“He’s a spectacular kid who it’s easy to have a good relationship with,” Mourinho said.

“He’s a fantastic boy, tremendous credit to him for the fact that he keeps living and surviving and still having a smile,” he added.

Vinicius has repeatedly been targeted by opposition supporters during his time in Spanish football, with several incidents of racial abuse against the Brazilian drawing widespread condemnation and renewed calls for stronger action against racism in the game.

Mourinho suggested that such treatment could have persuaded him to seek a move away from Madrid if he were in the forward’s position.

“If it were me in his place, probably I wouldn’t be here. In this last summer I would have forced an exit to a league, a country, to somewhere there are rival clubs and stadiums that respect him,” he said.

Vinicius commits future to Madrid

Despite the challenges, Vinicius chose to remain at Real Madrid, signing a new contract in the summer that will keep him at the club until 2032.

Mourinho said the forward’s affection for Real Madrid and the city had influenced his decision to stay, adding that the Brazilian continued to believe the situation could improve.

“Because he loves Real Madrid, for loving the club and the city, for believing that things can always improve, he renewed and he keeps on smiling,” Mourinho said.

He added that although the treatment Vinicius receives could affect him emotionally, nobody could completely take away his enjoyment of football, his work or his relationship with his teammates.

“No one or nobody can… well, influence him negatively yes, because he’s human… but take away his joy of living and working and being with his teammates, no, no one can do that,” he said.

The comments came amid questions about how Real Madrid can maintain an effective balance while accommodating several attacking stars, including Vinicius, Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham.

Vinicius has also been working to rediscover the form that helped him win the UEFA Champions League twice under former Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti.

The Brazilian was substituted during Real Madrid’s 4-3 Champions League victory over Roma on Wednesday, with Mourinho continuing to assess how best to manage his attacking options.

Four-match ban rules Vinicius out of Clasico

Vinicius will miss Real Madrid’s Clasico meeting with Barcelona on October 25 after receiving a four-match suspension following his dismissal during the club’s victory over Villarreal.

The Brazilian was sent off for pulling an opponent’s hair, resulting in disciplinary action that will keep him out of several matches.

Mourinho said he was relieved that the punishment had been limited to four matches, suggesting he had expected the disciplinary committee to impose an even longer suspension.

Real Madrid are scheduled to face Sevilla on Sunday as they seek to avoid losing further ground in the Spanish league title race.

Barcelona, managed by Hansi Flick, have enjoyed an impressive start to the season and are six points ahead of fourth-placed Real Madrid, according to the report.

Mourinho also addressed the growing dispute between Real Madrid and La Liga president Javier Tebas after the league chief compared the club’s efforts to discredit referees with propaganda techniques associated with Nazi official Joseph Goebbels.

Real Madrid subsequently called for Tebas to resign, while the league president clarified that his comments referred to propaganda methods rather than Nazi ideology.

Asked about the controversy, Mourinho declined to discuss it extensively but insisted that certain boundaries should not be crossed.

“I don’t want to talk about this, there are limits, and there are limits. You can only excuse it if it’s a clinical case — otherwise there’s no excuse,” he said.

The Portuguese coach added that Real Madrid and its supporters understood the challenges facing the club, but argued that the dispute should not damage the international reputation of Spanish football.

“For the prestige that the league has abroad, for being the current world champions, it’s better if we try to keep this here and not let it get out to the world,” Mourinho said.

Mourinho’s comments have placed renewed focus on Vinicius’s decision to remain at Real Madrid despite the repeated hostility he has faced, with the coach praising the Brazilian’s determination to continue playing and his belief that conditions can improve.