Mourinho couldn't say Vinicius played poorly

Mourinho defended Vinicius after Real Madrid's 3-2 Champions League win at AEK Athens, calling his performance 'acceptable' despite the winger showing signs of being below his best form.

Real Madrid won 3-2 away at AEK Athens in the Champions League, but Vinicius Jr struggled to make an impact and was substituted in the second half. After the match, manager José Mourinho defended the Brazilian winger, saying: "Vini played a very acceptable game; not an extraordinary one, but the team didn't play an extraordinary game either. The team played a difficult, serious match and Vinícius, in that vein, fulfilled his role very well."

Former Real Madrid player Jorge Valdano commented on Mourinho's measured assessment on Movistar, noting that the word "acceptable" was diplomatic. "Mourinho couldn't say he played poorly," Valdano said, adding that "acceptable" is not particularly praising for a player widely regarded as a game-changing talent.