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Mourinho plans to bench Vinicius Jr. against Villarreal ahead of El Clasico

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Oct 3, 2026, 8:20 AM

Last updated Oct 3, 2026

Mourinho plans to bench Vinicius Jr. against Villarreal ahead of El Clasico

Summary

Jose Mourinho is set to bench Vinicius Jr. during Real Madrid's October 10 match against Villarreal as the team prepares for the upcoming El Clasico against Barcelona. This decision comes after a challenging start to the season for Vinicius, who has struggled with form and consistency. Mourinho views this as a temporary measure aimed at helping the winger regain his confidence and rhythm. Following Villarreal, Vinicius is expected to start in subsequent matches against Roma, Sevilla, and RB Leipzig, providing multiple opportunities to improve before facing Barcelona on October 25.

Source Links

Yahoo Sports

Status Watch

•Vinicius Jr. to start on the bench against Villarreal on October 10.
•Mourinho aims to restore Vinicius' form before facing Barcelona.
•Vinicius has scored just one goal this season.
•Next matches include Roma, Sevilla, and RB Leipzig.

Latest Updates

8:20 AMYahoo Sports — Jose Mourinho ready to bench superstar forward against Villarreal with El Clasico looming – report

What they're saying

"
Jose Mourinho is preparing a short-term change for Vinicius Jr. as Real Madrid look to get the Brazilian back to his best before the first El Clasico of the season.According to Defensa Central, Vinici...
— Yahoo Sports

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Barcelona Real Madrid Atletico Madrid Champions League Soccer