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Despite the controversy surrounding his past defense of former Benfica player Gianluca Prestianni, Real Madrid head coach José Mourinho has pledged his unwavering support to Vinícius Júnior, assuring the Brazilian winger that he "can count on" him throughout the campaign.
Mourinho faced significant backlash last February when he staunchly defended Prestianni after the player was accused of directing racist abuse at Vinícius Jr during Los Blancos' Champions League clash with Benfica. The Portuguese tactician went so far as to suggest that Vinícius Jr had provoked the reaction by celebrating in front of the home supporters at the Estádio da Luz.
The episode cast a long shadow over Mourinho's return to the Bernabéu, where he must now work closely alongside Vinícius Jr. However, the 63-year-old was quick to make his current allegiances crystal clear.
"The answer is straightforward: Prestianni was my player," Mourinho stated on El Chiringuito. "That's all there is to it. If Prestianni is my player ... 20 players can come at me and I'm still backing Prestianni. Simple as that."
"I believe Vini understands now. He knows whose corner I'm in and he knows he can look to me and rely on me to stand by his side."
Prestianni, who denied the racism allegations by claiming he had instead directed a homophobic slur at Vinícius Jr, was ultimately handed a six-match suspension by UEFA, a ruling that FIFA subsequently upheld.
Mourinho Turns His Attention to the Referees
As if to demonstrate his solidarity with Vinícius Jr, Mourinho then set his sights on refereeing decisions that have gone against the star No. 7. The "Special One" witnessed firsthand how his new player is treated by officials when Vinícius Jr was denied a clear-cut penalty during Real Madrid's 3–0 preseason victory over Schalke.
"The other day, when they refused to award him a penalty as obvious as the Bernabéu itself, I was already out on the pitch fighting his corner. He knows I'll always be there for him," Mourinho added.
"I think people need to learn how to treat him properly, and that includes referees. Vinícius is a player like any other. You can't award a penalty for Pedrerol ... and then refuse to give one because it's Vinícius."
"You can't protect Mourinho and leave Vinícius unprotected."
Mourinho's commitment will undoubtedly face its share of tests in the opening weeks of the new La Liga season. Real Madrid appear to have no intention of abandoning their public campaign against Spanish referees, and with Mourinho at the wheel, club president Florentino Pérez gains a vocal and outspoken ally.
Mourinho even weighed in on the Negreira case, which alleges that Barcelona bribed former vice president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) refereeing committee José María Enríquez Negreira. "When I was here before, I could sense something was off," he remarked.
Mourinho Learning From Xabi Alonso's Mistakes
Since taking the reins at Real Madrid, Mourinho has consistently heaped praise on Vinícius Jr, ensuring the player feels valued both in public and behind closed doors. This marks a sharp contrast to the approach Xabi Alonso adopted when he occupied the same role last summer.
The Spaniard had barely been in charge of Real Madrid for two months when he reportedly attempted to drop Vinícius Jr from his starting lineup for the Club World Cup semifinal against Paris Saint-Germain. Alonso went on to regularly leave Vinícius Jr out of his La Liga and Champions League squads, on one occasion even selecting Fran García at left wing ahead of the Brazilian international.
The pair then clashed publicly during the first Clásico of 2025–26 when Alonso substituted Vinícius Jr, prompting the forward to lose his composure and head straight down the tunnel. The fractured relationship ultimately contributed to Alonso's departure that January.
Mourinho is taking great care to avoid repeating those mistakes with Vinícius Jr, who recently signed a six-year contract extension with Real Madrid following nearly 19 months of negotiations. The new manager is well aware that Los Blancos perform at their peak when Vinícius Jr is firing on all cylinders—and that the forward requires the backing of his coach to reach that level.
Under Alonso, Vinícius Jr managed just seven goals in 33 appearances. After Álvaro Arbeloa stepped in, the forward netted 16 goals in the second half of the season. That is the kind of output Mourinho must unlock to guide Real Madrid back to title-winning form.