José Mourinho has defended Vinícius Júnior from what he called "bullying" by opponents, after the forward was fouled inside the first minute and later booked for a clash with Álex Calatrava during Real Madrid's 2-1 win at Espanyol, the Portuguese's first match back in charge of the club.
"Vini isn't a saint, but what people do to him is too much," Mourinho said after the match. "It started in the first minute. It's something that has a format, one opponent after another after another, 'I foul him, then you foul him, if I have a yellow card, you do it...'"
"It's a frustration for him. He has to have great emotional control," Mourinho added. "I said to [Vini] that even if you score a goal, be careful how you celebrate, to stay on the pitch. It's tough. We're in a social era of anti-bullying, but with Vini there's bullying." It was not the first time this month Mourinho had made the argument: three days earlier he said referees needed to "learn how to behave toward him," insisting that decisions given for other players should be given for Vinícius too.
Jude Bellingham had given Madrid an early lead, heading in Arda Güler's free kick, before Calatrava equalised on the half-hour. Real pushed for a winner and found one in the 90th minute, when substitute Carlos Espí, signed from Levante over the summer, forced the ball over the line after Kylian Mbappé had been crowded out in the box. "I think we deserved to win. But Espanyol didn't deserve to lose," Mourinho said.