Real Madrid: "If I were Vinicius, I would have left last summer," says Mourinho

Real Madrid coach José Mourinho said on Saturday that he would surely have left the club "last summer" if he had been in Vinicius Junior's place, who was in the midst of a crisis of confidence and suspended for four matches for pulling an opponent's hair.

The 26-year-old Brazilian striker, who has struggled to regain his best form for the past two years in Madrid, is often targeted in Spanish stadiums, where he has repeatedly been subjected to racist insults.

He has also been booed by his own fans in the last two seasons because of his performances on the field, and his volcanic temper sometimes earns him warnings or red cards, as against Villarreal last weekend, where he was sent off for pulling an opponent's hair.

"Vini? He's a fantastic guy, I like him a lot. I value the fact that he manages to live and survive in this environment with a smile. If I were in his place, I probably wouldn't be here anymore," Mourinho said in a press conference on the eve of the Liga match against Sevilla FC.

"Last summer, I would probably have forced a move to a competition, a country, a core of clubs and stadiums where opponents would respect me. But out of love for Real Madrid, and with the faith that things can always improve, he extended his contract," he elaborated.

According to the Spanish press, the Merengue No. 7 was notably courted by Arsenal, the reigning English champions, but preferred to stay in Madrid with a golden contract, extended until 2032.

The Brazilian striker, suspended for the next four matches, will have to take advantage of this to "work harder than the others," said his coach, who continues to support him.

Asked about La Liga president Javier Tebas, whose resignation Real Madrid demanded on Friday after he compared Real Madrid TV's methods to those of Nazi Germany's propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels, Mourinho felt that "the limits" had been crossed.

"We have entered a territory where I think the only valid excuse would be if it were a clinical case. Otherwise, there is no justification, nor any excuse," he stated.

Real Madrid, fourth in La Liga six points behind unbeaten leaders FC Barcelona, host Sevilla FC on Sunday at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium.