Real Madrid coach José Mourinho said it’s only a question of time before Vinícius Júnior returns to top form.
The Brazil forward, in his ninth campaign at Madrid, has set up three goals but scored just once in nine appearances this season.
“He is going to emerge,” Mourinho said of Vinícius on Tuesday to TNT Sports. “It’s just a question of when.”
Mourinho was left encouraged by Vinícius’ improved performance in Madrid’s 1-0 home win over Villarreal on Saturday.
The Brazilian came off the bench and found the back of the net, only for the referee to rule it out because Vinícius had pulled the hair of a Villarreal player. As a result, the Brazilian was shown a red card.
“After the previous match [a 2-1 derby defeat at Atlético [Madrid] in which Vinícius started], I decided to take a different approach — to protect him a little and then bring him on when the game called for a player like Vini,” Mourinho said.
“I think that worked out well: the [Bernabeú] stadium, which had sometimes voiced disapproval, immediately rallied behind him the moment he started warming up. I believe that was a crucial turning point for him. He came on and played very well — the goal and the sending-off were a shame, of course — but it seemed like something clicked for him, reigniting that joy and reminding him of the kind of player he truly is.”
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Mourinho, meanwhile, has issued a hands-off warning to any club wanting to sign Madrid forward Endrick in the next transfer window.
Endrick, 20, remained at the Bernabéu this summer despite being in high demand following a successful loan spell at Lyon in the second half of last season.
“Forget it, forget it — forget about the clubs that are interested,” Mourinho told TNT Sports when asked about the Brazilian’s future.
“They’d better sit down and wait, or else they’ll get tired. He’s a player I adore, with incredible potential. And he’s very important to us. Now, anyone interested in him will have to put up a real fight against me, because I believe he doesn’t need to be loaned out and will be hugely successful here.”
Endrick, who played at the 2026 World Cup with Brazil, has played only four minutes for Los Blancos this season.
He missed Madrid’s opening four league games because of a muscular injury.
Asked about Endrick’s limited playing time, Mourinho said: “After the preseason, he suffered an injury that sidelined him for over a month at the start of the season. And then — it’s true, I’ve spoken to him about this myself — even after recovering, the right opportunity just hasn’t come up … In this [Villarreal] match — luckily for us, but unluckily for him — he was about to come on just as we scored.
“It happened practically the moment we got the goal. And then, when you’re winning and down to ten men, it’s natural for the coach to change his mindset and look at other options.”
