Jose Mourinho Shares His 80-20 Strategy for Managing Vinicius Junior at Real Madrid
Jose Mourinho opened up about his unique approach to managing Real Madrid star winger Vinicius Junior after their intense 3-2 victory over AEK Athens in the Champions League. The Portuguese coach revealed he mostly uses a gentle touch but is ready to be firm when necessary.
A Tough European Win
Madrid earned a hard-fought victory on matchday four of the Champions League at the OPAP Arena against AEK Athens. After the match, Mourinho shared insights about his team’s performance and his specific style of player management with the media.
How Mourinho Handles Vinicius
The most interesting part of Mourinho’s post-match comments was his explanation of how he deals with the Brazilian winger. When asked if he uses strict or lenient methods, Mourinho gave a clear breakdown of his management style.
"I would say, trying to imagine a percentage, so far, 80 per cent with the right (soft hand) and 20 per cent with the left (firm hand)," Mourinho said on the club’s official website.
Balancing the Team Dynamics
Mourinho also touched on his broader tactical setup, mentioning Yan Diomande's adaptability across the forward positions at Los Blancos. He highlighted that Diomande was signed to operate on both wings, allowing smooth attacking rotations with Vinicius.
"Vinícius didn’t provoke anything," Mourinho admitted. "Diomande comes to Real Madrid more to be a player who can play on both wings rather than solely on one. Diomande doesn’t care at all. He plays with different characteristics, but being on the right or left doesn’t change anything for him."
Regarding Vinicius’ performance, Mourinho noted it was solid though not spectacular, reflecting the tough nature of the match overall.
"Vini had a very acceptable match - not an extraordinary one, but the team didn’t have an extraordinary match. The team had a tough, serious game, and Vinícius, in that line, performed very well," Mourinho commented.
He explained his substitution choices by considering both the current game situation and the upcoming clash against Valencia.
"Obviously, when it’s time to make changes in a match with an uncertain result, I have to think about the result, but at the same time, I have to think a little about Valencia; taking off Diomande and not Vinícius; taking off Bernardo [Silva] and not [Eduardo] Camavinga, because Tchouameni will play in Valencia. When making some changes, I also considered the match we have on Saturday."
Focus Turns to Valencia Match
Real Madrid now shifts attention to their important La Liga fixture against Valencia, scheduled this Saturday at the Mestalla stadium.
