Mourinho defends Vinicius Junior, calls on referees to protect players
Football
Jose Mourinho defended Vinicius Junior and urged referees to protect players in comments published by the Times of India on 2026-08-25.
Mourinho said the Brazilian is being unfairly targeted by opponents and that opponents know how to provoke him.
He added that Vinicius can improve his reactions to fan provocations and insults, stressed that referees must shield players from excessive fouls and pressure, and acknowledged that he has become calmer over time.
