Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho criticized what he described as targeted rough treatment and bullying of winger Vinicius Jr during the club’s 2-1 victory over Espanyol in their La Liga opener on Saturday. The match, held at Espanyol’s stadium, marked Mourinho’s return to the Santiago Bernabeu, 13 years after his previous tenure with the club.
The game saw an early incident where Espanyol forward Alex Calatrava fouled Vinicius from behind and appeared to catch him again while he was on the ground. The Madrid players appealed for a red card against Calatrava, but the referee took no disciplinary action. Calatrava later scored Espanyol’s equalizer after Real Madrid took the lead through an early header from Jude Bellingham. Real secured the win with a last-minute goal from substitute Carlo Espi, who made his Real debut.
Mourinho spoke to reporters after the match and condemned the treatment of Vinicius, saying it had become a repeated pattern across opponents and matches. “Vinicius is no saint, but what they’re doing to him was too much. Right from the first minute,” Mourinho said. He described the fouling as systematic, with players coming in one after another to target Vinicius and accumulating yellow cards in the process. Mourinho also advised the Brazil forward to exercise caution in how he celebrated goals, noting the challenges of maintaining composure under persistent provocation.
The manager’s comments echoed past controversies surrounding Vinicius, who has frequently been subjected to rough challenges and abuse from rival players and supporters. Mourinho’s remarks also brought to mind an incident last season when, as Benfica manager, he was involved in a dispute concerning discriminatory conduct by Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni against Vinicius during a Champions League match. Prestianni was later suspended for six matches by UEFA for homophobic abuse. Mourinho faced criticism then for defending Prestianni and suggesting the provocations were partially due to Vinicius’s goal celebrations.
During Saturday’s match, both Vinicius and Calatrava received yellow cards in the first half following an altercation, and Espanyol’s Edu Exposito was booked for a foul on Vinicius in the second half. Despite missing several scoring opportunities, including a Federico Valverde shot that hit the post, Real Madrid maintained pressure and control over the match. Mourinho acknowledged the strength and organization of the Espanyol side, stating they did not deserve to lose but expressed that Real ultimately merited the victory.
The match and Mourinho’s comments spotlight ongoing concerns about the treatment of Vinicius Jr on the field amid increasing scrutiny of player conduct and crowd behavior in Spanish football.