Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho asks for ‘respect’ for Vinicius Jr. amid form struggles in UCL debut
While struggling to find his best form in the UEFA Champions League debut, Real Madrid head coach Jose Mourinho asked for "respect" for Vinicius Junior after being booed. Vinicius Junior remains far from his peak form, a reality Real Madrid supporters made clear by whistling the Brazilian during their UEFA Champions League clash against Inter Milan. Following the fixture, manager Jose Mourinho backed the winger while demanding “respect” as he works to rediscover his best form. With Real Madrid hosting Inter at the Santiago Bernabeu for Matchday 1 of the 2026-27 UCL campaign, Kylian Mbappe and Brahim Diaz provided the attacking spark, while Vinicius experienced a quieter night. That frustration was made evident by the crowd when he was substituted in the 87th minute, with scattered applause drowned out by noticeable boos and whistles from home supporters. During his post-match press conference, Jose Mourinho addressed his post-game comments calling for respect toward Vinicius following the crowd’s reaction, and the manager did not hold back: “I am not criticizing the fans; I am speaking as a coach and about my relationship with him, who deserves complete respect.“ The Portuguese manager then delivered a firm message emphasizing that while Vinicius is not in peak form, his effort levels remain unquestioned as he strives to return to his match-winning standard. “He is not at his best, that is something we all see, but he is the first to know it, and he is working very hard to be the Vinícius who decides matches. But despite not being at top form, he is working harder than ever in training and in matches,” he added. 🚨⚪️ José Mourinho: “Vinicius deserves all my RESPECT”.“He’s not at his 100% and he knows it. He is working more than ever to recover his form. I have so much respect for this Vinicius”. pic.twitter.com/OiRERFNSUi— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 8, 2026 In front of goal, Vinicius struggled to find precision, failing to hit the target on three shot attempts, but he played a crucial role in advancing possession into Inter Milan territory. Recording eight progressive carries, the Brazilian covered 342 yards (312.8 meters) with the ball at his feet, the highest mark of any Real Madrid player in the match, while contributing heavily in defense. Mourinho concluded by reflecting on Vinicius’ overall output, expressing full confidence in the forward’s trajectory: “The few times he hasn’t been able to stay compact and defend with the block, it was due to fatigue, because he made six 50-meter sprints with the ball. It is not easy, but his commitment has been very good. I have immense respect for this Vinicius that I have encountered. The time will come when he will decide and win matches.“ Vinicius supplies crucial defensive output With Mbappe opening the scoring in the 14th minute and Federico Valverde doubling the advantage in the 23rd, Real Madrid allowed Inter to control possession while threatening on the counter-attack, a setup suited to Vinicius’ physical profile. However, the Brazilian also provided a level of defensive work rate unseen from a Real Madrid forward in over 17 years. According to OptaJose, Vinicius Junior registered nine ball recoveries against Inter Milan. The last forward to record that level of defensive output in a Champions League match for Real Madrid was Gonzalo Higuain in December 2008 during a 3-0 win over Zenit St. Petersburg. That metric represents a notable statement, particularly following Real Madrid’s pre-match press conference criticism questioning whether Vinicius and Kylian Mbappe possessed the defensive work rate of peers like Ousmane Dembele.
