Real Madrid coach José Mourinho assured Saturday that he would surely have left the club “last summer” if he had been in Vinicius Junior’s place, in the midst of a crisis of confidence and suspended four matches for pulling an opponent’s hair.
The 26-year-old Brazilian striker, who has struggled to regain his best level for two years in Madrid, is often attacked in Spanish stadiums, where he has repeatedly suffered racist insults.
He has also been whistled by his own supporters over the past two seasons for his performances on the pitch, and his volcanic character sometimes costs him warnings or red cards, like against Villarreal last weekend, where he was sent off for pulling an opponent’s hair.
“Vini? He’s a fantastic guy, I like him a lot. I give a lot of value to the fact that he manages to live and survive in this environment with a smile. Me, if I were in his place, I probably wouldn’t be here anymore,” Mourinho said at a press conference on the eve of the La Liga match against Sevilla FC.
“Last summer, I would probably have forced a departure to a competition, a country, a core of clubs and stadiums where the opponents would respect me. But out of love for Real Madrid, and with the faith that things can always improve, he extended,” he explained.
A golden contract
According to the Spanish press, the No. 7 merengue was particularly courted by Arsenal, reigning English champion, but preferred to stay in Madrid with a golden contract, extended until 2032.
The Brazilian striker, suspended for the next four matches, will have to take the opportunity to “work more than the others”, said his coach, who continues to support him.
Asked about La Liga president Javier Tebas, whose resignation Real Madrid demanded on Friday after comparing Real Madrid TV’s methods to those of Nazi Germany’s propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels, Mourinho said “the limits” had been crossed.
“We have entered an area where I think the only valid excuse would be that it was a clinical case. Otherwise, there is no justification or excuse,” he said.
Real, fourth in La Liga six points behind undefeated leader FC Barcelona, hosts Sevilla FC on Sunday at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium.
