Mourinho on Vinicius Suspension: 'They Do Things Without Shame'

The Portuguese manager of Real Madrid, Jose Mourinho, strongly criticized what he called the “shameful” decision by Spanish football authorities to announce a four-match ban for his Brazilian international winger Vinicius Junior just hours before the whistle of the club’s crucial UEFA Champions League match against Italian side Roma. Speaking at a post-match press conference, Mourinho expressed his frustration over how the timing of the sanction disrupted the team’s preparations. “Do you think it’s normal for a player on a Spanish team, who has to play an important match in Spanish football, to be told just two hours before kick-off that he is suspended for four matches?” he asked. “Couldn’t they do it now? Couldn’t they do it tomorrow morning? Do we have to arrive at the stadium almost with the bus to discover that Vinicius has been banned for four matches?” He continued, “They are doing things without shame now. The truth has come out. Two hours before the match, the player should already know he is suspended for four games.” The 63-year-old manager added, “A Spanish team has earned three points for Spanish football, for the standings, and for the reputation of Spanish football. You want to take away a player’s availability two hours before the match. That doesn’t seem normal to me.” Mourinho also voiced his displeasure with the fixture schedule, noting that Real Madrid are set to face Greek side AEK Athens in the capital on November 4, before traveling to Valencia to play the local team in La Liga on the 7th. When asked about the implications of Vinicius’s ban, Mourinho replied, “At the very least, it shows a lack of respect.”