"Coach, I'm worried about Vini. After everything he's done for Madrid over the years, it's not normal how a section of the supporters treated him." That quote, from a senior dressing room figure to Mourinho in the aftermath of the Inter match, tells you everything about the atmosphere currently surrounding Vinícius Jr at Real Madrid.
The Brazilian was booed on substitution against Inter — a night when he posted nine recoveries and was one of Madrid's most committed workers on the pitch. A season-ticket holder in row 7 of the first tier described watching at least four people in his section insult Vinícius from before kick-off, without waiting to see a single touch. The hostility is irrational, and the club knows it.
Mourinho isn't moving
José Mourinho has heard the noise and is doing the opposite of giving in to it. He will start Vinícius alongside Mbappé against Rayo Vallecano on Saturday (9:00 p.m.), with Güler and Bernardo Silva returning from suspension to reinforce the midfield. Tchouaméni and Thiago Pitarch are also back available. It is, deliberately, a show of faith.
Mourinho has been pleased with Vinícius' attitude since pre-season — his defensive work, his pressing, his collective commitment. The end product has been lacking, but the effort hasn't been. That context matters when reading how quickly the Bernabéu turned.
The club's position is firm. The contract extension to 2032, signed a few weeks ago, wasn't a distraction or a goodwill gesture — it was a statement. At 26, Vinícius is still the squad's most dangerous one-on-one player, and the belief inside Valdebebas is that minutes cure the form problem. Whether that's right is the bet Madrid are placing.
What this means for Saturday's odds
Rayo at home is the kind of fixture where Vinícius can breathe. Less defensive pressure than Inter, more space to run into. If there was ever a match designed to get his attacking numbers moving, this is it — which makes his anytime scorer odds worth a look before kick-off.
The tension around him won't disappear after one game. But Mourinho has decided this is where the reset starts, and he's built the lineup around making it happen. Now Bernabéu gets to decide whether it boos or backs him. One of those options will define what kind of season this becomes for both of them.
