'Not at his best' - Jose Mourinho defends Vinicius Junior after Real Madrid star is booed by Bernabeu crowd during Inter win

Kylian Mbappe and Federico Valverde were on target as Real Madrid secured a 2-1 victory over Inter to open their Champions League league phase campaign. Despite collecting all three points on Tuesday, the atmosphere at the Bernabeu soured late in the match when Vinicius Junior was substituted. The Brazilian departed the pitch in the 87th minute to a chorus of whistles from the home support, with fans made their displeasure known after the forward struggled to find his cutting edge against a resilient Italian defence.

Addressing the media after the final whistle, Mourinho acknowledged that Vinicius is currently out of form but highlighted the player's relentless defensive efforts. The Portuguese tactician insisted the winger was simply suffering from fatigue late in the contest.

"He isn't at his best, and he knows it," Mourinho stated during his post-match press conference. "But he's working hard to be the Vinicius who decides games. Without being at his best, he's working harder than ever.

"In the moments that he wasn't able to drop back and defend, it was because of fatigue. I have to value that a lot. I have a lot of respect for this Vinicius. The time will come when he decides games, and wins us games."

Mourinho maintained faith in the attacker's ability to turn his fortunes around, pointing to the tactical difficulties posed by Inter's wing-back system.

"If he works, he'll always have my support," he added. "He worked very hard for the team. Playing against a side that plays with three at the back, with wing-backs, it's very hard for the wingers.

"Obviously with the one-on-ones he had on the left wing, with Vini at his best, he'd kill the game. That's what we expect of him. But he gave everything."

The latest incident compounds a challenging period for the Brazil international. After enduring a difficult 2025-26 campaign characterised by frequent criticism from the Madrid faithful, Vinicius committed his long-term future to the club this summer. However, his start to the new season has been slow by his own lofty standards, managing just one goal and two assists across five appearances.

The Inter clash also highlighted structural challenges for Mourinho's side. Depleted by suspensions to Bernardo Silva, Arda Guler, and Eduardo Camavinga, the Madrid boss was forced to deploy Trent Alexander-Arnold out of position in central midfield. Mourinho praised the Englishman's effort, saying: "It's hard for Trent. I appreciate the effort he made, but with his characteristics, the specificity needed to play full-back or central midfield, it's completely different physically.

"He had some losses of the ball, because it's not the same playing with the whole field in front of you, and playing with half the field behind you. He's played there a few times with Liverpool and the national team, but, it's completely different. He didn't have more to give."

Vinicius faces an uphill battle to win back the demanding Real Madrid support as Mourinho's men return to domestic action. Los Blancos are set to host a Madrid derby against Rayo Vallecano in La Liga on Saturday, providing the Brazilian with an immediate opportunity to silence his critics on home soil.

European duties will then take a backseat for the upcoming international break. Upon their return, Madrid will travel to the Italian capital to face Serie A giants Roma. Having just navigated past his old employers Inter, the fixture will see Mourinho reunite with another of his former clubs as Los Blancos look to build upon their opening victory.