Real Madrid: Jose Mourinho says Vinicius Jr must show control to handle bullying

Mourinho claims his star winger is being targeted by players to seek a reaction “from the first minute” and is “repeated” by all teams the Brazilian comes up against.

“It’s frustrating for him. He needs to have great emotional control,” he said.

After receiving the yellow card in Mourinho’s first competitive match of his second Real Madrid spell, the Portuguese told Vinicius Jr to consider how his actions on the pitch can ignite reactions in the stands.

“I spoke to him at half-time, and I even told him in detail: ‘If you score a goal, be careful how you celebrate it so I can keep you on the field.’ It’s tough,” he said.

“We’re in a social era of anti-bullying. With Vini Jr, we’re still in the bullying era, whether it’s from opponents or the crowd.

“We need to educate him as much as possible and prepare him as much as possible. And that’s it.”