Real Madrid coach José Mourinho and Kylian Mbappé have defended Vinícius Júnior after the Brazilian forward drew whistles from home fans during Wednesday's 4-1 win over RB Leipzig. Vinícius has not scored in his last nine games for Los Blancos and was substituted in the 70th minute.
Asked about the boos at the Bernabéu, Mourinho said: "When you are on the pitch and you are whistled when playing away, often it's a boost to your motivation. When it's at home, it hurts." Vinícius, who served the first game of a four-match La Liga ban at the weekend, has only one goal and three assists in 11 appearances this season. He has appeared visibly frustrated at times, posting after the game: "Living in the moment. Everything passes," alongside a winking emoji.
Mourinho praised his tactical discipline and defensive work, noting that Vinícius had a chance to score a brilliant goal before the goalkeeper made a great save. With the player unavailable for the next 14 days because of his league ban, Mourinho said the focus would be on work, with an individualised physical plan.
Mbappé, named MVP after setting up Madrid's second goal and scoring the third, said his teammate's time will come. "He's doing well. It's good that he's upset because it means he wants to give a lot to the team and the fans," the French forward said. "I think he just needs to stay calm and proud of who he is."
Source: ESPN Soccer · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing