Mourinho urges 'bullied' Vinicius Jr to control emotions when being provoked

Jose Mourinho, coach of Real Madrid, has urged his star winger Vinicius Jr to demonstrate exceptional emotional control following allegations of bullying on the field. The 63-year-old Real Madrid boss expressed his concerns after Vinicius Jr received an avoidable yellow card during his team's 2-1 La Liga victory over Espanyol for an altercation with midfielder Cala in the opening half.

The Brazilian winger has been the target of persistent abuse during his eight-year tenure at Real Madrid, with Mourinho himself having been an opponent of Vinicius Jr while managing Benfica, when Gianluca Prestianni was accused of racially abusing the Brazilian, a claim the Argentine denied.

Mourinho emphasized that he now considers Vinicius Jr as his own, acknowledging the harsh treatment the young player faces. He stated that the abuse Vinicius Jr encounters is excessive and that he needs to learn to control his emotions better. Mourinho claims that his star player is being targeted by opponents from the first minute, and this targeting is consistent across all teams the Brazilian plays against.

The Portuguese coach described the situation as frustrating for Vinicius Jr and emphasized the importance of emotional control for the young winger.

In an effort to help Vinicius Jr navigate the situation, Mourinho spoke to him at halftime and provided detailed instructions on how to manage his celebrations to avoid igniting reactions in the stands. Mourinho acknowledged the challenges the player faces, acknowledging that we still live in an era of bullying, both from opponents and the crowd. He expressed his commitment to educating and preparing Vinicius Jr as much as possible to help him cope with the harsh realities of professional football.