Vini Jr suffers on La Liga debut, Mourinho: he's no saint

Real Madrid’s 2026/27 La Liga campaign kicked off with a 2-1 victory over Espanyol on Saturday (22). Goals came from Jude Bellingham and Carlos Espí, with Espí scoring in the final moments. Xabi Calatrava scored for the home side. After the match, coach José Mourinho defended Brazilian forward Vinícius Júnior, who faced heavy boos and fouls from Espanyol fans.

The 63-year-old Portuguese coach acknowledged Vinícius is "no saint," but criticized the "script" of fouls against him. Mourinho described the situation as taking a toll on the player's mental control, adding that he had warned Vinícius to be careful when scoring. The coach even mentioned the era of fighting bullying is still prevalent in the sport.

Espanyol’s Xabi Calatrava was seen kicking Vinícius in the 32nd minute, leading to a yellow card for both players. Real Madrid’s goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois commented on a tweet criticizing the refereeing, urging Espanyol to look at themselves before judging others.