Los Blancos went down 1-0 to Real Betis at La Cartuja on Friday in La Liga, and with tension thick in the air, coach José Mourinho stuck to his usual routine after the final whistle, shaking hands with his own players and the opposition.
One moment caught the eye. Mourinho reached Vinícius Júnior, and the Brazilian initially extended his hand. Yet when it seemed the Portuguese wanted a word, the forward kept walking, cutting the handshake short.
Brief as it was, the gesture spread quickly across social media, where many read it as a sign of coldness towards the coach, according to the Catalan newspaper "Sport".
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The footage from the stands doesn't reveal exactly what passed between the two. Mourinho appears to have spoken to the Brazilian for a few moments, while Vinícius carried on his way after that first contact, choosing not to stay and talk with his manager.
Frustration after the defeat may explain it all. But the scene took on greater weight because of the context surrounding both men.
Mourinho has been one of Vinícius's most vocal public defenders since taking charge of Real Madrid. After the opening-round win over Espanyol, the Portuguese backed the player over the clashes the match witnessed, saying: "Vinícius is no saint, but what is done to him is exaggerated," and he likened the treatment to "bullying".
That is what makes the gesture so intriguing, according to "Sport". Vinícius himself became the star of a scene like this with Mourinho, even though the coach has said repeatedly since the start of the season that he understands the Brazilian's character, and that everyone must support and protect him.
The Alonso incident
The scene inevitably recalls another involving Vinícius last season with Xabi Alonso, though that one ran hotter.
In the Clásico of October 2025, the Brazilian stormed off the pitch after the coach decided to substitute him. He protested with gestures as he headed for the touchline, then went straight down the tunnel to the dressing room without shaking Alonso's hand.
Friday's gesture may simply be the tension and frustration of a painful defeat spilling over. But after everything that happened with the Brazilian last season, his every move now draws scrutiny, all the more so when the coach himself is part of the picture.
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