Vinicius Junior booed at Bernabéu after laboured display against Inter Milan

Vinicius Junior left the Bernabéu to boos on Tuesday evening, after a lacklustre display and an exit that forced Real Madrid to play ten against eleven for an entire minute against Inter Milan. The Madridistas still secured a 2-1 victory in their Champions League opener.

It was in the 87th minute that José Mourinho decided to replace his Brazilian winger with Alvaro Carreras. Vinicius took an unusually long time to reach the touchline, automatically triggering the new time-wasting rule introduced this season: Real Madrid found themselves reduced to ten players for a full minute, at the precise moment when Inter Milan was applying the most pressure.

As he left the pitch, Vinicius directed ironic applause towards the stands. The crowd’s response was mixed: some applause, but also loud whistles, reflecting growing impatience among the Merengues supporters since the start of the season.

Mourinho defended his player at the press conference. « He is not at his best. It is something that I see and that we all see. He is the first to be aware of it and he is working to be that Vinicius who decides the fate of matches, » said the Portuguese manager. The coach also emphasised the defensive efforts made by the Brazilian in this first European match of the season, insisting that he was working « more than ever ». « I have a lot of respect for Vinicius and the moment will come when he is once again the one who decides, » he concluded.

The Brazilian international’s start to the season remains below his usual standards, though it has not been a complete disaster. But the patience of sections of the Bernabéu appears to be wearing thin already.