Mourinho trusts Spanish referees, defends Vinícius again over rough treatment

With a week left before the transfer window closed, Mourinho was asked whether Real Madrid planned to make any more moves. His answer was classic Mourinho: he didn't shut the door, but he didn't promise anything either. "It's still open, you never know what can happen. Right now everything is closed, but the president or Jose Angel could call me to say there's an offer for someone," he explained. He then added a line that sounded like an internal message: "For me the squad is closed. I'd like to keep this squad for this season."

The Portuguese coach spoke to reporters ahead of the match against Real Sociedad, and much of the session centered on a topic that remains a hot button: the blows Vinícius Júnior keeps absorbing. In the league opener against Espanyol, the Brazilian took a kick that sparked controversy, and Mourinho got straight to the point about how it should have been handled. "Vini can show more control, but if it's a kick and it's aggression, it's a red card," he said, making clear that in his view the ultimate responsibility falls on the referee.

That led to one of the most talked about lines of the press conference, in a moment still shadowed by the Negreira case that continues to cloud Spanish refereeing:

I trust Spanish refereeing. I always trust the referee. After watching last matchday's game, I really liked the officiating. After the match there are sometimes things I don't like. But I don't think a referee is on the field because he's a friend of Negreira. I believe in the honesty of referees.Jose Mourinho

Defending Vinícius, once again

Mourinho didn't stop there. He returned to the treatment some Madrid players get, Vinícius in particular, once they step onto the field. He described a pattern that repeats itself match after match, one that, in his view, opponents exploit because they know they can get away with it without immediate consequences. "A pattern has set in... opponents know they can do it. It's like with small children, until you let them get away with it. If they can beat up on Vini, if the yellow card comes after 10 fouls, after the aggression. It's a kind of treatment I don't like," he said, drawing a contrast with other players on the squad who don't absorb that same physical punishment.

For the Portuguese coach there's a clear line between what can be fixed with patience and what demands a firm hand from the referee. "The reaction of an ordinary crowd can be managed. Vinícius's relationship with opposing fans can improve. But the kicks, the insults, the aggression, that's on the referee. Justice has to be done," he insisted.

A calmer Mourinho, plus words on Valverde and Endrick

Asked about his own state of mind, he acknowledged a shift from earlier stages of his career: "I've felt calmer for years now, with more control over my emotions. Now I face difficult or frustrating situations as they come, because we haven't lost yet. I don't like laziness, I like people who work hard for Real Madrid. So far I haven't seen laziness, everyone is giving their all."

He also had words for Federico Valverde, making clear he doesn't see him as a right back: "I don't like it when they make him play at right back. For me he's a midfielder. He can be more positional, or more mobile. A full back is a full back, but nowadays he can play as a winger."

Finally, he spoke about Endrick and a physical issue that has him under observation: "There's a specific problem near the tendon, but it's more of a precaution. He's a player I like a great deal. I'm sure he'll make Carlo Ancelotti's first call-up."