Vinicius Junior endured another flat night on Wednesday as Real Madrid saw off Leipzig 4-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu in the third round of the Champions League league phase.
The Brazilian started but lasted only until the 70th minute, when Jose Mourinho turned to Jan Diomande. The substitute needed just 20 minutes to score and set up another.
Vinicius took to his official Instagram account after the match. He wrote: "I'm living the moment, everything passes."
Spanish newspaper "Marca" read the message as a mix of resignation and faith. Fans have hammered the winger since the start of the season over his dip in form, and his place in the starting XI is under fresh scrutiny after a four-match ban from the La Liga association.
Mourinho refused to join the chorus of critics, throwing his weight behind the Brazilian instead. "Vini played a wonderful match, and showed excellent tactical performance that benefited both his manager and the team," the Portuguese said.
He went on at length about everything Vinicius offered beyond goals. "He succeeded in building attacks from the left wing, and masterfully commanded the spaces, and nearly scored a wonderful goal had the goalkeeper not saved his powerful shot," Mourinho added.