Mourinho questions Vinicius Jr's yellow card for talking to referee

Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has expressed his concerns regarding the yellow card issued to team captain Vinicius Jr for simply speaking to the referee, despite regulations permitting captains to engage in polite discussions with officials.

In a recent press conference prior to Real Madrid’s match against Inter on Tuesday, Mourinho addressed numerous questions related to refereeing decisions stemming from their defeat to Real Betis last Friday. As is typical, he provided his insights.

While discussing the impact of VAR on the game, Mourinho also took issue with Vinicius Junior's booking, which occurred when he approached the referee to seek clarification on a decision, all while wearing the captain’s armband.

Commenting on the situation, Mourinho stated: “The other thing in this match, which is unrelated, is why the Real Madrid captain received a yellow card. When Vinicius approached the referee and saw the card before he even reached him, I’d like to know why. Why are we always told that the captain has the right to approach the referee politely to ask for an explanation? I apologise for using your question, but I wanted to comment on this decision.”

Mourinho firmly believes that Vinicius Junior should be afforded protection as captain. He argues that if any other player sought an explanation from the referee regarding a decision they disagreed with, they would theoretically receive a yellow card as well.

However, it is worth noting that Fede Valverde had already been substituted in the 82nd minute, leaving Vinicius Junior as the vice captain when he received the booking during the ninth minute of stoppage time. This raises questions about the rationale behind the yellow card.

Mourinho emphasises that Vinicius did not approach the referee in an aggressive manner, which is why he is advocating for his Brazilian star and seeking clarification on the card's issuance.

The manager also pointed out that Vinicius Junior has faced significant scrutiny from referees and opponents alike, suggesting that this could have influenced the decision to book him. There have long been concerns over inconsistent officiating regarding Vinicius, with fouls often going unpunished when committed against him and cards frequently not issued to opposing players for similar infractions.

If the reasoning behind Vinicius Junior's yellow card is indeed linked to his perceived popularity among officials and rivals, Mourinho believes this is a troubling double standard that cannot be overlooked.

Source: The Real Champs