Mourinho compares Mbappe and Vini Jr to fruit trees after boos

Real Madrid's manager Jose Mourinho drew an unusual comparison when questioned about the booing of Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr at the Bernabeu. The Portuguese boss likened the two players to fruit trees, using a Portuguese proverb that suggests people throw stones only at trees bearing fruit.

Mbappe, who scored the opening goal in Real Madrid's 2-1 victory over Inter Milan, moved joint-fifth in the all-time Champions League scorer list. Despite this impressive feat, Mbappe and Vinicius Jr faced jeers from their own fans. Mourinho defended the pair, stating that their achievements and records speak for themselves and that they are close to reaching their best versions.

The Real Madrid boss reiterated his praise for Mbappe, a nominee for this year's Ballon d'Or. Mourinho emphasized that a player scoring over 40 goals for a team is never a problem and commended Mbappe's incredible attitude, even when fatigued. The French forward's contributions to Real Madrid's success, despite the team not winning a trophy last year, cannot be overlooked, said Mourinho.

Spanish football expert Guillem Balague offered a possible explanation for the fans' boos, attributing it to the team's lack of trophies in the past two years and the perceived arrogance of Mbappe. However, Mourinho's fruit tree analogy suggests that the fans' discontent may extend beyond mere criticism of the players' performances.