José Mourinho's Shift: From Critic to Protector of Vinicius Junior

José Mourinho once stood on the other side of the storm around Vinicius Junior. Now he is right in the middle of it, trying to shield the Brazilian while demanding he keeps his cool.

After Real Madrid’s tense 2-1 win at Espanyol on Saturday night, Mourinho revealed the message he had given his winger before kick-off.

"He has to show a lot of emotional restraint. I spoke to him and told him: 'If you score a goal, then pay attention to how you celebrate it,'" Mourinho said, fully aware of the hostility that followed Vinicius with every touch. The friction with the Espanyol fans was constant, almost predictable, every time the No. 7 came into view.

From critic to protector

The weight of Mourinho’s words comes from history. Earlier this year, he had been part of the problem.

Back in February, during the racism scandal that overshadowed the Champions League tie between Real and Benfica, Mourinho was still coaching the Portuguese side. After Vinicius scored the only goal and celebrated provocatively in front of the Benfica end, abuse rained down from the stands. Mourinho, speaking on Amazon Prime Video, pointed a finger not just at the racists, but partly at the victim.

"Something is not right, because it happens in every stadium. In a stadium where Vinicius plays, something always happens," he said then, framing the Brazilian’s celebrations as a trigger.

Now the dynamic has flipped. The coach who once questioned him is the one closing ranks around him.

"Now Vini is my player. Vini is no saint, but what they do to him is too much," Mourinho insisted after the league opener. "It starts in the very first minute. I think there is a certain pattern behind it, something that repeats itself from one opponent to the next."

This was not a throwaway line. It sounded like an accusation, aimed well beyond one hostile fanbase.

“We are still in the bullying phase”

Mourinho has replaced Alvaro Arbeloa in the Madrid dugout this summer, returning to the Bernabeu a decade after his first spell. He walked back into a club and a league where Vinicius has become both superstar and lightning rod.

"We are in a social era of anti-bullying. With Vini, we are still in the bullying phase, whether from the opposition or from the crowd," Mourinho said. "We have to educate him as well as possible and prepare him for it as well as possible."

That dual mission is clear: protect him, but also polish him. Mourinho knows Vinicius will keep getting targeted. He also knows every celebration, every gesture, every look back at the crowd will be replayed, dissected, and used against him.

On Saturday, though, the football itself gave him little to cling to.

Late drama, quiet Vini

On the pitch, this was not Vinicius at his electric best. The Brazilian struggled to leave his imprint, rarely finding the space or rhythm that usually makes him unplayable. The noise around him was loud; his performance was muted.

Real still found a way.

Jude Bellingham struck early to give Los Blancos the lead, a reminder that the Englishman’s influence is already central. Espanyol hit back around the half-hour mark through Cala, and from there the game tightened, nerves creeping in.

Just when it looked like Real would stumble out of the blocks, the pressure finally told. In the 90th minute, new signing and substitute Carlos Espi delivered the winner, a sharp, decisive finish that salvaged all three points and spared Mourinho an awkward start.

The touchline figure was familiar. The stakes feel just as high.

Long contract, long road

After two disappointing seasons, Real Madrid have turned again to Mourinho to drag them back to something closer to their old dominance. The expectation is not subtle: restore the edge, restore the trophies, restore the fear.

Vinicius will be central to that. The Brazil international has already shut down talk of a move away, despite persistent rumours of a record bid from Arsenal. At the start of August, he underlined his commitment by signing a new long-term deal until 2032.

So now the picture is set: a combustible coach, a targeted superstar, a club demanding a return to glory. Mourinho says he will educate and protect Vinicius. The contract says they are tied together for the long haul.

What happens when the next stadium turns on him, and the next celebration lights the fuse?