Jose Mourinho has leapt to the defence of Vinicius Junior after the Brazilian was handed a four-match ban in La Liga, hailing the forward's exceptional strength under pressure and admitting he would have walked away from Real Madrid himself in the same circumstances.
The Portuguese spoke at his press conference ahead of Sunday's trip to Sevilla, with Vinicius serving the suspension that followed his red card against Villarreal. Criticism of the winger had already been building after the Champions League tie with Roma, when Mourinho pulled him off in the 59th minute and sent on Endrick.
Vinicius made no secret of his displeasure at the time. He later clarified that the frustration was aimed at himself, not his manager, for failing to produce the level he expected.
Mourinho reveals the reason for Vinicius's struggles against Roma
Asked about his forward, Mourinho first took a swipe at the scrutiny of the team's movements, then defended the Brazilian by pinning much of the blame for his difficult night on Roma boss Gian Gasperini.
"I am curious to know whether people are interested in knowing when we arrive at Valdebebas, and also when we leave. It is funny," Mourinho said, as reported by Spanish newspaper "AS".
He added: "Vinicius had an extremely difficult match, and for me, the person most responsible for the difficulty of the match he played is Gasperini, because he attacked constantly down his side. It was very difficult for me, as a manager, to make the changes."
It wasn't just the performance that irritated him. Roma's second goal arrived with the game level and Madrid in no obvious trouble, and that is what stung.
"In the second half, Roma changed their approach, and what bothered me was the nature of the second goal, because it came when the match was balanced and we had no problem at all," he continued. "He should not have done what he did, but it is over, and there is no problem. I made 5 changes, not just one. Substitutions are part of football."
Will Vinicius start Wednesday's match?
For all the criticism, Mourinho insisted Vinicius needs to work harder while hinting he will go straight back into the starting line-up against Leipzig in the Champions League on Wednesday.
"Vinicius has to work more, and without promising anything, because I do not like making promises, I think he will start on Wednesday," he said.
On the four-match ban, Mourinho sounded almost relieved, suggesting he had braced himself for something far heavier.
He said: "I am happy with the punishment, because they were going to punish him with more matches. I thought that certain things arranged behind the scenes would get him one or two extra matches."
Mourinho: if I were in Vinicius's position, I would have left Real Madrid
Turning to how he manages the player's personality, Mourinho made no attempt to hide his admiration for the man behind the headlines, describing a good relationship built on daily private chats.
"He is a wonderful young man, and it is easy to build a good relationship with him," the Portuguese said. "I spend a few minutes alone with him every day, and I appreciate him a great deal, because he always manages to carry on with his life and endure with a smile."
Then came the line that stuck. "If I were in his position, I probably would not have stayed here. I would have forced the club to let me leave for a country where they respect me, but he has stayed because of his sense of belonging to Real Madrid and his love for the club."
He continued: "He believes that things can improve, and that is why he keeps smiling. Nothing and no one can take that smile away from him."
Vinicius's secrets with Mourinho: a message about his love for Real Madrid
Pressed on whether his advice to Vinicius strays beyond football, Mourinho refused to open up the private conversations. Instead he pointed to the contract renewal as proof of where the Brazilian's future lies.
He said: "Those are private conversations. When he renewed his contract, he signed to say that Real Madrid is his home, and he had the enthusiasm to carry on making history and winning titles."
The 26-year-old's standing in the dressing room also drew praise. "He has a good relationship with everyone in the dressing room, and he is a source of joy," Mourinho added.
His final word returned to the weight Vinicius carries. "I have serious doubts that I would have had the same strength to stay here, despite all the offers that were in front of him."