I Would Have Left Real Madrid If I Were Vinicius Junior - Mourinho

José Mourinho says he would have forced an exit from Real Madrid if he were Vinicius Junior, citing the racial abuse and hostility the Brazilian forward has endured in Spanish football.

José Mourinho has said he would have considered leaving Real Madrid if he were Vinicius Junior, arguing that the Brazilian winger deserves to play in an environment where he receives greater respect.

Speaking to reporters, Mourinho praised Vinicius for maintaining his positive attitude despite repeated incidents of racial abuse and hostility from opposition supporters since joining the Spanish club in 2018.

“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.”

Mourinho suggested that, in Vinicius’s position, he would have sought a move to another country or league.

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

Vinicius Commits His Future to Real Madrid

Despite the challenges, Vinicius has chosen to remain at Real Madrid, signing a contract extension reportedly running until 2032.

Mourinho attributed the forward’s decision to his affection for the club and his belief that 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 added.

The Brazilian has become one of the club’s most recognisable attacking players, although his performances and disciplinary record have continued to attract scrutiny.

The supplied report also states that Vinicius received a four-match suspension following an incident involving hair-pulling during a match against Villarreal. The suspension was reportedly expected to rule him out of the Clasico against Barcelona on October 25. These details should be confirmed before publication.

Real Madrid Under Pressure

Real Madrid are also facing questions about how to balance their attacking options, including Vinicius, Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham, while maintaining the team's overall tactical structure.

The club’s title ambitions have added to the pressure, with Barcelona reportedly enjoying a strong start to the season under Hansi Flick.

Mourinho’s comments have consequently drawn attention to both the sporting challenges facing Vinicius and the wider issue of how football authorities and clubs respond to racist abuse.

Mourinho Comments on Real Madrid–La Liga Dispute

Mourinho also addressed the dispute between Real Madrid and La Liga president Javier Tebas over comments concerning the club’s criticism of refereeing.

According to the supplied report, Real Madrid called for Tebas to resign after he compared the club’s efforts to discredit referees with propaganda techniques associated with Joseph Goebbels, the Nazi propaganda chief. Tebas subsequently clarified that his comparison concerned propaganda techniques rather than Nazi ideology.

Mourinho declined to discuss the matter at length but insisted that certain comments should not be excused.

“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.

He also expressed concern about the effect of the controversy on Spanish football’s international reputation.

“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 added.

Mourinho’s remarks have renewed attention on Vinicius’s experiences in Spanish football and the challenges facing Real Madrid as the club seeks to maintain its competitive ambitions.

Source: Vanguard