AS: Mourinho's top priority is to protect Vinicius

Mourinho must protect Vinicius and, more importantly, prevent every match from becoming a war in which he alone fights against a world that does not understand him.

It is not normal for the hostile atmosphere targeting Vinicius to have been so intense in the first official match of the season. It is equally abnormal that he was booed on his first appearance in a preseason friendly at a stadium he had never visited in his career. It is also unacceptable that a player fiercely kicked an opponent who was already on the ground, had turned away, and was completely unable to contest the ball, yet the referee did not issue a yellow card and VAR did not intervene—all as early as the 3rd minute. The recent communication approach adopted by various clubs has also been questionable. Espanyol's social media posts had a counterproductive effect, and afterwards everyone belatedly called for rationality in football, but it was already too late. Every time Vinicius plays away from the Bernabéu, he encounters situations far removed from normal conduct, and we risk becoming desensitized to them. His reactions and loss of temper under provocation have instead become convenient excuses for such inappropriate behavior. Where are the boundaries of player accountability? Do on-field actions constitute bullying, and how should we define the line? Can chants of "beach ball" tolerated throughout the stadium be considered acceptable? How many fouls and provocations must he endure before responding, and how long can he restrain himself before his performance suffers significantly? Even Mourinho has asked him to control his emotions when celebrating after scoring. The outside world demands that Vinicius restrict his actions, even during football's most joyful moments—scoring goals—so as not to offend others. One match has forced the Portuguese coach to directly confront issues that must be resolved. He knows the "Ancelotti plan" failed, and Xabi Alonso's approach proved even less effective. To succeed now, he can no longer rely solely on asking players to do defensive work or on refining his partnership with Mbappé. The primary issue to be addressed is psychological. Mourinho must protect Vinicius and, more importantly, prevent every match from becoming a war in which he alone fights against a world that does not understand him.

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