Real Madrid head coach José Mourinho defended forwards Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior during a press conference on Friday, following whistles directed at both players by home supporters at the Santiago Bernabéu. Addressing external criticism regarding the duo's defensive work rate, Mourinho invoked a traditional Portuguese proverb to explain the public pressure placed on the club's key attackers.

“In Portuguese, we have a proverb that says we only throw stones at the trees that have fruit.”

Mourinho explained that the crowd demands high output because both players have consistently delivered trophies and goals in recent seasons. Mbappé, nominated for the Ballon d'Or after scoring 42 goals in 44 matches last season, moved joint-fifth on the all-time Champions League scoring list after scoring the opening goal in Tuesday's 2-1 victory over Inter Milan. Mourinho dismissed arguments that high-scoring forwards create tactical problems, reiterating that a player producing over 40 goals is an asset. Spanish football expert Guillem Balague noted on BBC 5Live's Euro Leagues podcast that fan frustration also connects to two trophyless seasons and lingering tension over Mbappé's past transfer negotiations.

Physical data and defensive contributions

Mourinho rejected claims that Vinícius has dropped his performance level, pointing directly to internal performance tracking metrics. According to the manager, the Brazilian winger is registering speeds close to his career maximum and has broken his personal season records for high-intensity running volume, total ball recoveries, and recoveries in the defensive third.

“The stats and numbers he registers suggest we will see his best version very soon.”

The manager recalled the decisive performance from Vinícius against Benfica last season, stating that decisive form will return as the campaign progresses. Mourinho also praised Mbappé's defensive work rate during Tuesday's Champions League match against Inter Milan. Mbappé tracked back on the left wing for two minutes after Real Madrid played with ten men, caused by a two-minute benching penalty for Álvaro Carreras when Vinícius took longer than ten seconds to leave the pitch during a substitution. Mourinho noted that while critics focused on defensive lapses against Inter, his team created enough opportunities to score eight goals.

Squad rotation and league standings

The media briefing preceded Real Madrid's La Liga match against Rayo Vallecano on Saturday at 21:00 at the Santiago Bernabéu. Real Madrid enters the fixture aiming to recover from a 1-0 domestic defeat against Real Betis, where Mbappé missed a penalty and refereeing committee CTA subsequently upheld the referee's decision not to order a retake for box encroachment. Mourinho remarked that refereeing solidarity and institutional protection across leagues make public admissions of officiating errors rare.

Mourinho confirmed that Eduardo Camavinga, Arda Güler, and Bernardo Silva are available for selection after serving suspensions, while Aurélien Tchouaméni remains available after featuring against Inter Milan. When asked about Tchouaméni and Federico Valverde following their training ground dispute in May, Mourinho stated that the pair display great friendship in the dressing room. Rayo Vallecano manager Beñat San José commended Mourinho before the encounter, calling him one of the greatest managers in football history. A victory against Rayo Vallecano would move Real Madrid provisionally level on points with FC Barcelona, who travel to face Levante on Sunday.