By Adegboyega Adeleye
Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has defended Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior after the two forwards were booed by the club’s supporters, comparing the stars to fruit trees that attract criticism because of their success.
Both players were jeered by sections of the home support during Real Madrid’s 2-1 Champions League victory over Inter Milan on Tuesday, despite Mbappe scoring the opening goal.
According to the BBC, Mourinho was asked about the criticism of Vinicius and responded with a Portuguese proverb which says that people only throw stones at trees that bear fruit.
“So what Vini has done here over recent years – how many Champions League has he won, how many goals has he scored, how many balls has he won?” Mourinho said.
“His achievements speak for themselves so he is the tree that has a lot of fruit on it and people want to get a piece of Vini.”
Mourinho added that statistics suggest the Brazilian is approaching his best form, having already set records this season.
The Portuguese coach also used the same analogy to defend Mbappe, who scored 42 goals in 44 appearances for Real Madrid last season and is among the nominees for this year’s Ballon d’Or.
“I want to remind you of the proverb I said before. He is the tree with a lot of fruit,” Mourinho said.
“Obviously a player who scores more than 40 goals for a team is never a problem.”
Mourinho also praised Mbappe’s work rate, insisting the France international gives everything for the team even when he is exhausted.
“I saw Kylian giving it his all. He was defending like an animal, even when he had nothing left. His attitude is incredible. It is a joy for me to see a player like that,” he added.
The boos come despite both forwards making strong starts under Mourinho, who returned for a second spell at the Santiago Bernabeu this summer.
Mbappe has already scored four goals in La Liga this season, while Vinicius was also on target in Madrid’s 4-1 win over Real Sociedad in Mourinho’s first home match.
Spanish football expert Guillem Balague suggested that Madrid’s failure to win a major trophy last season may be one reason for the supporters’ frustration.
He also said Mbappe’s previous decision to reject Real Madrid and the perception surrounding Vinicius could have contributed to the reaction from the Bernabeu crowd.
Mourinho, however, has made it clear that he continues to trust the two forwards as he attempts to restore Madrid to domestic and European dominance.
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