Mourinho Tells Vinícius to Control His Emotions, But Also Points Finger at Referees

If there's one man who knows what it's like to lose his cool on a soccer field, it's the one now preaching calm. José Mourinho, the coach once as famous for his trophies as for his touchline outbursts, asked Vinícius Júnior to do something it took him years to master himself: control his emotions.

The Brazilian forward was at the center of several tense moments with fans and opponents during Real Madrid's league opener against Espanyol last Saturday. It wasn't an isolated flare-up. Vinícius has long had a strained relationship with opposing crowds and with defenders who try to needle him off his game through provocation. With Real Madrid now preparing to face Real Sociedad in their second league match, the subject came right back up at the press conference.

Mourinho, now in his second stint as Real Madrid manager after previously leading the club between 2010 and 2013, didn't put all the blame on his player. Quite the opposite: he made clear there's a piece of the problem Vinícius needs to work on, and another piece that falls squarely on the referees.

There's what happens on the pitch and what happens off it. The reaction to fans and insults, obviously if they're not racist or homophobic insults but the typical abuse you get from supporters, that's something I think he can control better. His relationship with rival fans, I think he can improve that. In the match itself, when it comes to fouls and the frustration that builds up in him, that's on the referees, or the judges, as I like to call them, in terms of their duty to protect the players and the game.José Mourinho

The Portuguese coach went further, zeroing in on something many Real Madrid fans have been pointing out for a while now: the different treatment Vinícius gets compared to other players when he's grabbed, shoved or insulted.

It's turned into a spiral where opponents know exactly what they can and can't get away with. If players can provoke him and lean on Vini, whether physically or with words, if the yellow card only comes after ten fouls, if there can be violence involved, then that's a kind of treatment I don't like.José Mourinho

He also said that if he himself were in the Brazilian's shoes during some of those plays, he probably would have been sent off more than once already.

A Past That Lingers

The comment carries an awkward history. Last season, while in charge of Benfica, Mourinho drew criticism for questioning Vinícius's attitude after the player himself reported a racist insult from an opponent during a Champions League match. At the time, the coach suggested the Brazilian provoked his opponents with his goal celebrations. Now, wearing Real Madrid's colors as manager, he softened that stance.

When I was Benfica's coach, I only cared about Benfica.José Mourinho

Mourinho himself admitted his temperament has changed over the years. Long gone are the days of those over the top touchline gestures.

I think I'm calmer now. And it's not just now, I've been like this for the last several years. I feel more at peace, more in control of my emotions.José Mourinho

It remains to be seen whether that same emotional control he preaches is something he can finally pass on to his star forward.