Mourinho Backs Vinícius Júnior to Rediscover Form Following Villarreal Red Card

Real Madrid coach José Mourinho told TNT Sports that Vinícius Júnior will return to top form after the forward received a red card in a 1-0 win over Villarreal.

Real Madrid coach José Mourinho told TNT Sports on Tuesday that Vinícius Júnior will inevitably return to top form. The Brazil forward has recorded three assists and one goal across nine appearances during his ninth campaign in Madrid. In a recent 1-0 home victory against Villarreal, Vinícius entered the match as a substitute and had a goal disallowed for pulling an opponent's hair, an incident that resulted in a red card.

Mourinho opted to bench the forward for the Villarreal fixture to protect him following a 2-1 derby loss at Atlético Madrid. Despite the dismissal, the manager noted that the Bernabéu crowd supported the player during his warmup. This tactical shift followed a period where the stadium had occasionally voiced disapproval toward the attacker.

Regarding roster management, Mourinho issued a warning against potential transfers for 20-year-old forward Endrick. The Brazilian international, who participated in the 2026 World Cup, has played four minutes for Los Blancos this season after missing the first four league matches with a muscular injury. Endrick remained at the club this summer after a loan spell at Lyon during the latter half of the previous season.

Mourinho confirmed that Endrick was prepared to enter the Villarreal match as a substitute, but the plan changed once Madrid scored and were reduced to ten men. The coach stated the player does not need to be loaned out in the upcoming transfer window and will remain part of the squad.