Mourinho warns Vinicius: the team comes before any player

José Mourinho issued a public warning to Vinicius Jr on Friday in a press conference, confirming that the Brazilian forward would receive no special treatment despite his status at Real Madrid. The Portuguese manager was explicit: “At the moment of truth, where everything is decided, the team must come before any player.”

Vinicius is going through the most difficult period of his career. Two years after coming close to winning the Ballon d’Or, the Real Madrid number 7 has not been decisive in his last six appearances with Los Blancos. Starting on Wednesday in the UEFA Champions League against AEK Athens — one of the rare opportunities to get back on track during his La Liga suspension — he delivered another underwhelming performance. Meanwhile, Yan Diomandé has been putting in strong performances in his absence, and Arda Güler also appears to have moved up the offensive hierarchy.

Mourinho sought to contextualize the choices made in recent weeks. “Vinicius played the last two Champions League matches against Leipzig and AEK Athens. But as soon as he is back in full form and available, I will manage the situation accordingly. This last match was for him, to allow players like Arda to rest,” he explained, suggesting that the Athens start was more about squad rotation than a return of confidence.

The manager did not fail to remind Vinicius of the level he is capable of reaching, while maintaining the pressure. “The Vinicius of last year eliminated me from the Champions League. A good player, even in his bad moments, leaves the door open for a strong comeback. He has the support of his teammates, everyone, without exception,” he added.

Vinicius will serve his final suspension match on Saturday in the trip to Valencia. His return to La Liga will be closely watched: at 26 years old, the Brazilian international must quickly regain his effectiveness if he wants to reclaim an undisputed place in Mourinho’s starting eleven.