Jose Mourinho put Real Madrid above Vinicius Junior after the Brazilian started in the 3–2 victory over AEK Athens in the Champions League. The forward failed to make an impact with either a goal or an assist, while his performances since the start of the season have remained below expectations.
„For me, the team is the most important thing. I have never willingly wanted to harm the team in order to benefit a particular player,“ Mourinho said at a press conference ahead of the away match against Valencia.
Real Madrid won in Athens after another late twist. Kylian Mbappe equalised, while Federico Valverde scored the winning goal in added time. The victory was the Spanish side’s fourth in four matches in the league phase of the Champions League.
Vinicius will not play against Valencia because of his suspension in the Spanish league. The match will take place on 7 November at 21:00 at Mestalla Stadium, and the Brazilian was not included in Real Madrid’s squad for the game.
This means that Vinicius was given the opportunity to play in Real Madrid’s last two Champions League matches, but he continues to miss games in La Liga. In Athens, he started after having already missed several league matches because of his suspension.
„When everything returns to normal and he is available, I will make my decisions. As a coach, I do not think from match to match; I also think about the series of games ahead of us,“ Mourinho said.
The coach drew a distinction between a poor footballer and a good player going through a difficult period. In his words, a good footballer can have negative moments, but that does not change the assessment of his qualities.
„A poor footballer will always remain a poor footballer. But a good footballer will also have negative moments,“ the Portuguese said.
Mourinho added that the coach’s task is to keep players performing at the highest level, including through different tactical strategies and approaches. He said he would do what was necessary to help Vinicius regain his best form, but the final decision on his involvement would be guided by Real Madrid’s interests.