Jose Mourinho emphasizes defensive contributions from Vinicius Jr at Real Madrid

Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho is tasking Vinicius Jr with increased defensive duties in an attempt to evolve the forward's overall impact. During the club's Champions League opening match against Inter Milan, the Brazilian recorded nine ball recoveries, the highest figure for a Real Madrid forward in a single match since 2008. While his offensive output remained limited with no clear-cut chances created, the performance underscored a shift toward a more disciplined, measured role within the squad. Mourinho has worked to repair his relationship with the player following previous tensions and has encouraged a calmer temperament on the pitch. Despite these tactical changes, Vinicius Jr faced some criticism from sections of the Bernabeu crowd upon his late substitution, which the manager attempted to mitigate by prompting applause from supporters. The coaching staff is now prioritizing this more complete, defensively active version of the forward over his purely offensive production.

• 11:45 AMYahoo Sports — Mourinho has already changed one major part of Vinicius’ game at Real Madrid