Mourinho Still Backs Vinicius Despite Poor Form

José Mourinho is concerned by Vinícius Júnior's poor start to the season, but the Real Madrid boss has no intention of giving up on his star forward.

According to AS, Mourinho remains convinced that Vinícius possesses a game-changing quality that very few players in world football can match.

The Portuguese coach wants to see that version of the Brazilian back.

Vinícius has struggled to produce his best football in the opening weeks of the campaign, and his latest performance against Atlético Madrid only increased the scrutiny surrounding him.

The 26-year-old was substituted after just 54 minutes in the derby, with Real Madrid already down to 10 men following Dean Huijsen's red card.

Vinícius had failed to create a chance before being withdrawn, registering just two shots, neither of which was on target. He also managed only 22 touches during his time on the pitch.

But Mourinho's decision should not be interpreted as a loss of faith.

AS reports that the manager remains a strong admirer of Vinícius and believes there are very few players in the world capable of changing a match in the way he can.

Mourinho has already made his position clear publicly.

After the Champions League victory over Inter Milan earlier this month, he said Vinícius was working harder than ever to become the player who decides matches again.

He went even further after that game, insisting that when Vinícius is at his best, "he kills games."

That is exactly the player Mourinho wants back.

The Real Madrid boss is therefore not believed to be frustrated with Vinícius. Instead, his concern comes from knowing just how much more the Brazilian can offer.

For Mourinho, Vinícius' current struggles are a problem because Madrid need the player capable of changing games almost single-handedly.

And the Portuguese manager still believes that player is in there.