Mourinho's Message to Vinicius Jr. Before Madrid Derby
Jose Mourinho has delivered a blunt message to Vinicius Jr. ahead of the Madrid derby: forget the noise, play the game.
With Real Madrid heading into one of the most charged fixtures of their season at the Metropolitano, the Portuguese coach has reportedly sat down with his Brazilian star to lay out a clear plan. No distractions. No battles with the stands. No running commentary with the referee. Just football.
Mourinho draws a line
According to Defensa Central, Mourinho has spoken directly with Vinicius about how he wants him to handle the occasion against Atletico Madrid. The derby will be hostile, the atmosphere raw, and Diego Simeone’s side will do everything they can to drag Madrid into a fight.
Mourinho wants none of it from his winger.
The instruction is straightforward: Vinicius must lock in on the match and avoid being sucked into confrontations that have too often become a subplot to his performances. The coach does not want him turning to the stands, trading gestures, or getting embroiled in long arguments with the officials.
Those flashpoints, Mourinho believes, pull Vinicius away from his primary job and, in the end, damage Real Madrid’s chances.
No more sideshows
Vinicius has become a lightning rod across Spain. Opposition supporters target him relentlessly. His reactions, and his frequent exchanges with referees and fans, have turned into a recurring theme around his games.
Mourinho is determined to break that pattern, at least for this derby.
He wants Vinicius fully engaged in both phases of play. In attack, his dribbling and direct running remain central to Madrid’s plan to land an early blow on their city rivals. Off the ball, Mourinho expects him to track back, press, and stay connected to his teammates rather than drifting into his own personal battle with the environment.
The message is not to shrink from the contest, but to choose it wisely: the fight must be with Atletico’s back line, not with the terraces or the referee.
Backing his player, demanding control
These instructions do not come out of nowhere. After Real Madrid’s win over Espanyol at the RCDE Stadium, Mourinho publicly addressed the treatment Vinicius receives.
He defended his forward, while refusing to paint him as blameless. “Vini Jr. isn't a saint, but what they're doing to him is too much. It starts right from the first minute. I think it's a pattern, something that repeats itself from one opponent to the next,” he said.
That admission explains his current approach. Mourinho knows the hostility will not suddenly vanish. So he is trying to manage it, to channel Vinicius’ energy rather than simply telling him to ignore what is happening around him.
For the Brazilian, the task is as simple as it is demanding: silence the Metropolitano not with gestures or protests, but with the ball at his feet.
