Vinicius Junior faces relentless on-pitch hostility that amounts to bullying, according to Real Madrid head coach Jose Mourinho following his side's dramatic La Liga opening victory against Espanyol on Saturday night.
Real Madrid narrowly avoided a frustrating draw at the RCDE Stadium until debutant Carlos Espi netted a crucial 90th-minute winner to ensure the Spanish giants returned to Madrid with all three points in their opening fixture.
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SubscribeSpeaking to the media after the match, Mourinho addressed the harsh atmosphere surrounding his star forward throughout the ninety minutes, highlighting a systemic issue with how opponents target the Brazilian international.
"He is not a saint, but what they do to him is too much," Mourinho told reporters. "From the first minute, it is as if it already had a format. We are in a social era of anti-bullying, but with Vini we are still in the era of bullying."
Mourinho Praises Bellingham and Heroic Debutant Espi
The veteran manager admitted he has advised Vinicius to exercise extreme caution with his celebrations and maintain high mental discipline to navigate the persistent provocations from opposing players and crowds.
Beyond the controversy surrounding Vinicius, Mourinho turned his attention to Jude Bellingham's standout performance and praised the midfielder's exceptional physical and mental resilience on the pitch.
"When we talk about the best in the world, Madrid have a lot in that group. Bellingham, Vinicius, Mbappe," Mourinho said, emphasizing the need to keep Bellingham positioned close to the opponent's goal to maximize his scoring threat.
The Portuguese tactician also shared his delight for young debutant Carlos Espi, whose dramatic late goal sealed the victory and capped off a whirlwind dream start to his career with Los Blancos.