Did Mourinho make a mistake substituting Vinicius?

Journalist Juanma Rodríguez has criticized José Mourinho's decision to substitute Vinicius Junior during the match between Real Madrid and RB Leipzig in the UEFA Champions League.

Juanma said: "Mourinho should not have substituted Vinicius Junior, especially since he will only play UEFA Champions League matches over the next five weeks."

He added: "If the goal is to regain his best version in the medium and long term, he should have been kept on the pitch."

He emphasized: "Real Madrid's interests come first, and Vinicius himself knows he is not living his best moments, but the whistles against him remain incomprehensible."

It is contradictory for Mourinho to praise Vinicius Junior's tactical performance and express satisfaction after the match, only to substitute him. Vinicius Junior's game was not particularly poor; in fact, one of his attempts nearly resulted in a stunning goal.

In the first half, the Bernabéu crowd applauded him for his efforts in regaining possession and supporting the team defensively, before later booing him.

He concluded: "If Mourinho sees that his performance warrants substitution, that is his right, but he cannot substitute him and then praise his performance after the match."