Mourinho puts Vinícius on notice: Real Madrid won't hold his spot

Vinícius Júnior has almost served his suspension, but the comeback won't come free of charge. José Mourinho made it clear the Brazilian will have to earn his place back at Real Madrid once his ban is up, and not because there's a waiting list: Yan Diomande has made sure of that.

This Saturday against Valencia, Vinícius will serve the fourth and final game of the suspension he's been carrying since his red card against Villarreal last month. The odd part is that without him, Madrid has done nothing but win: 4-1 over Sevilla, 2-1 over Barcelona and 3-0 over Racing de Santander. Three games, three wins, and in the background, a fill-in who has made the most of every minute.

Diomande has racked up four goals and three assists in his last six appearances, a run that has all but installed him as a starter in his own right. Mourinho, who has always publicly backed a player who's been decisive in so many recent seasons, went straight to the point this time when asked what happens once Vinícius is available again.

"For me, the most important thing is the team. I've never wanted to hurt the team to benefit a player. When Vinícius is back to normal and available, I'll manage things."José Mourinho

The Portuguese coach went further, offering a thought that sounds almost like a warning to anyone in the locker room, not just the Brazilian.

"I have to do everything to have my players at their best. You always have to believe in a player's true potential. A bad player will always be bad no matter how hard you try, and a good player, in his bad moments, leaves the door open to get back to his usual form. His teammates support him enormously and we go in with full confidence, but when it comes time to decide, the team has to come first."José Mourinho

It didn't help that in the last match before the suspension, Vinícius did start in the Champions League against AEK Athens and once again found himself at the center of criticism. Madrid trailed twice that night, and the Brazilian was substituted shortly after Jude Bellingham leveled it at 2-2, watching from the bench as Federico Valverde scored the winner in stoppage time.

A team looking for consistency, not just comebacks

This weekend Madrid will chase its eighth straight win across all competitions, but Mourinho was candid: the way the Athens game was won set off a few alarm bells.

"It's better not to have to come from behind. It's better like it was in Santander, 3-0 at halftime. Coming back has its positives and negatives. It has to do with belief, a strong bench, the team's motivation, knowing what jersey you're wearing. But it also has a downside, and that's the side we need to work on. We need to find more consistency at the start of matches."José Mourinho

Madrid comes into this matchday in third place in LaLiga, and a win would pull it level with league leaders Barcelona ahead of Sunday's trip to face second-placed Atlético de Madrid. The injury list, besides Vinícius's suspension, includes Rodrygo (knee), Raúl Asencio (leg) and Ferland Mendy (hip).

On the other side will be a Valencia side riding the momentum of a 1-0 win over Elche, though that was only its second league win of the season. Javier Aguirre's team sits 19th with nine points from 11 games, and at Mestalla, concern is growing over a season that could turn into a long fight against relegation.