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Real Madrid News Mourinho refuses to panic over megastar’s form and delivers private message of support – report Vinicius Jr. did not have the ideal start to the new La Liga season, but Jose Mourinho is in no mood to panic. The Brazilian endured a difficult evening during Real Madrid’s 2-1 win over Espanyol, struggling to find his usual influence and becoming increasingly involved in confrontations with opposition players. A yellow card followed, while the noise around his performance grew as the match went on. Yet, according to MARCA, Mourinho’s view of the situation is very different from the reaction outside the club. The Real Madrid manager still sees Vinicius as one of the central figures in his project and believes the Brazilian will return to his best level with time, fitness and confidence. More importantly, Mourinho has made sure the player knows exactly where he stands. After publicly defending him, the Portuguese coach also spoke to Vinicius privately with a clear message that he has his manager’s support. Mourinho will not change his view on Vinicius Vinicius’ performance against Espanyol was not the standard he expects from himself. He spent too much time getting involved in confrontations, allowing the physical and emotional side of the match to take him away from his football. That is a pattern Mourinho wants to help him control, particularly because Vinicius can become an even more decisive player when his focus remains entirely on the game. As put by the outlet, just one disappointing performance has not changed Mourinho’s thinking. Simply put, the season has only just started, and the Brazilian is still working towards his sharpest physical condition. Mourinho believes his performances will improve naturally as he plays more minutes, develops a stronger understanding with his teammates and settles into the manager’s demands. That is why this situation should not be interpreted as a warning over Vinicius’ place in the side. Quite the opposite. Mourinho considers him a fundamental part of the team and has no intention of allowing one difficult night to create uncertainty around his importance. Vinicius received constant boos, but Mourinho stepped in The Espanyol match was difficult for Vinicius for more than just footballing reasons. The Brazilian was subjected to whistles, boos and insults throughout the game, creating another hostile environment. For what it is worth, Mourinho understood the situation. Hence, rather than leaving Vinicius to deal with the criticism alone, the manager chose to defend him publicly after the final whistle, followed by a private conversation to give him confidence. Real Madrid News Former Real Madrid manager opines on Vinicius situation: ‘Needs to put his energy into the game’ There has been plenty of discussion about what happened with Vinicius Jr. in last Saturday’s match between Espanyol and Real Madrid (1-2). The Brazilian winger received a kick from an opposition player while on the floor, but the incident was overlooked by the referee as well as the VAR. Moreover, the 26-year-old superstar was once again at the receiving end of boos and whistles from opposition fans at the RCDE Stadium. Following the match, Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho did not hesitate to say that the Brazilian is being bullied by opponents and supporters. “From the first minute, it’s like he’s already been given a set routine. Now I foul him, now you foul him, one player gets a yellow card, another comes on without one. It’s incredibly frustrating for him; he needs to have a lot of mental control,” Mourinho said. “I’ve even told him that if he scores, he should be careful how he celebrates. We’re in a social era of anti-bullying, but with Vini, we’re still in the era of bullying,” he added. Jorge Valdano gives his take Now, former Real Madrid manager and director Jorge Valdano has given his assessment of the Brazilian on Movistar. “Madridismo backs Vinicius and, of course, his coach backs Vinicius,” Valdano began. The Argentine then immediately pointed out the apparent contradiction in Mourinho’s current stance, compared to what the manager had said while he was at Benfica last season. “But the coach was at Benfica just three months ago and, regarding Vinicius, he said other things,” said Valdano, taking a dig at Mourinho, with whom he does not have the best of relatioships. For Valdano, the situation surrounding Vinicius has become one in which everyone believes they are right. “Here, everyone thinks they are right about Vinicius. The opponents and the Madridistas,” he added. Valdano’s advice to Vinicius Valdano then offered Vinicius some advice about how he should handle the situation, as he said: “I understand that, little by little, Vini is going to have to understand that he needs to put his energy into the game because he’s a star, and that’s where he has to make the difference and build his empire.” “Not through conflict, because that doesn’t benefit him or Real Madrid,” he concluded.