Mourinho urges 'bullied' Vinicius Jr to control emotions when being provoked

What the report says

Jose Mourinho has said Real Madrid winger Vinicius Jr needs stronger emotional control when opponents try to provoke him, after the Brazil international collected an avoidable yellow card in a 2-1 La Liga opening win over Espanyol. BBC Sport reported that Mourinho, speaking after his side’s first competitive match of his second spell in charge, said the player is repeatedly targeted by other teams and by crowds, and that the pressure can lead to reactions that harm him and his team.

According to BBC Sport Football, Mourinho argued that Vinicius Jr is often “bullied” during matches and is not being treated fairly. He said the winger has been singled out from the first minute in many games and suggested that the player must be helped to stay composed, even when opposition players or supporters are trying to get a response. Mourinho also said he had spoken to Vinicius Jr at half-time about how celebrations could trigger further tension and possibly cost him his place on the pitch.

The comments add to the wider context around Vinicius Jr, who has faced repeated abuse during his time at Real Madrid. BBC Sport noted that the issue has included allegations of racist abuse in the past, although the claim mentioned in the article was denied by the player involved. More broadly, the episode highlights how disciplinary reactions and crowd hostility can affect high-profile players in modern football.