Vinicius Junior was whistled by Real Madrid supporters during a 4-1 Champions League win over RB Leipzig at the Santiago Bernabeu. After the match, Jose Mourinho and Kylian Mbappe both publicly defended him.
What happened in the match
Vinicius was substituted in the 70th minute against Leipzig. He has failed to score in his last nine appearances for the club, and he has one goal and three assists in 11 outings this season.
He is serving the beginning of a four-match suspension in Liga.
Mourinho's comments
As quoted by ESPN, the manager said: "When you are on the pitch and you are whistled when playing away, often it's a boost to your motivation. When it's at home, it hurts."
Mourinho said: "Vini put in a good tactical performance."
Mourinho said: "Vini defended very well. He then had a chance to score a brilliant goal, but the goalkeeper made a great save."
Mbappe's response
Mbappe told reporters after the match: "He's doing well."
Mbappe said: "It's good that he's upset because it means he wants to give a lot to the team and the fans. I think he just needs to stay calm and proud of who he is. A great player must always take pride in who they are and gain confidence because the quality is there."
Mbappe's display
GOAL reported that Mbappe earned the MVP award against Leipzig after registering a goal and an assist.