Mourinho Defends Mbappe and Vinicius Amid Booing at Bernabeu

Jose Mourinho has never been shy of a metaphor, but this one landed with purpose.

Faced with questions about why Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr were booed by their own fans at the Bernabeu, the Real Madrid coach reached for an old Portuguese proverb and turned it into a shield.

“In Portuguese, we have a proverb that says we only throw stones at the trees that have fruit,” he said. The message was clear: if Mbappe and Vinicius are being targeted, it is precisely because of what they produce.

Booed in victory

The backdrop was a 2-1 win over Inter Milan in the Champions League, a night that should have been about celebration. Mbappe scored the opener, a goal that moved him joint-fifth on the all-time Champions League scorers list. Another historic notch for a forward who has made a habit of bending European nights to his will.

Yet even as Real Madrid edged past Inter, the Bernabeu soundtrack turned sour. Sections of the home support jeered both Mbappe and Vinicius, two of the most devastating attackers in world football, as they came under fire for what many perceive as a lack of defensive work and, in Mbappe’s case, a certain emotional distance from the club.

Mourinho, never one to leave his stars exposed, stepped in.

The tree that has a lot of fruit

Asked specifically about Vinicius, the Portuguese coach pushed back hard against the criticism and used the winger’s record as his argument.

“So what Vini has done here over recent years – how many CL has he won, how many goals has he scored, how many balls has he won? 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.”

In Mourinho’s eyes, the numbers tell a story the whistles ignore. He pointed to the era of data and metrics as proof that Vinicius is edging towards his peak.

“During this digital era where we have access to so many stats, we can tell that he is very close to getting to his best version. He's even set some records already. The stats and numbers he registers suggest we will see his best version very soon.”

This was not a gentle pat on the back. It was a public declaration that, for Mourinho, Vinicius remains one of the pillars of this team, even when the stands grow impatient.

Mbappe under the microscope

Mbappe, too, found himself at the centre of the storm despite his staggering output. The Frenchman is among the nominees for this year’s Ballon d’Or after scoring 42 goals in 44 games for Real Madrid last season. Those are numbers that usually buy adoration, not hostility.

Mourinho doubled down on his proverb.

“I want to remind you of the proverb I said before. He is the tree with a lot of fruit,” he said, before cutting to the core of the debate. “Obviously a player who scores more than 40 goals for a team is never a problem.”

He then highlighted the side of Mbappe that critics often claim not to see.

“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.”

For a coach renowned for demanding defensive sacrifice from his forwards, that line matters. If Mourinho is praising Mbappe’s work without the ball, the accusation that he is a luxury player loses weight inside the dressing room, even if it lingers on the terraces.

The Bernabeu’s uneasy relationship with its stars

So why the boos? Why turn on two players who carry so much of the club’s attacking burden?

Spanish football expert Guillem Balague, speaking on 5Live’s Euro Leagues podcast, admitted the reasons are not entirely clear.

“I don't think anyone really knows [why],” he said. “There was a bit about the past, of two years of no winning. But the two main stars are not that liked by the fans.”

The lack of trophies last season hangs over the club. Mbappe’s goals did not lead to silverware, and at Real Madrid, numbers without titles rarely satisfy. The frustration, Balague suggested, has attached itself to the biggest names.

With Mbappe, there is also history.

“Mbappe feels a little bit cold, sometimes he can be like Cristiano Ronaldo and he speaks like he is bigger than Real Madrid. And also, he said no to Real Madrid about three times before and maybe they haven't forgotten that - but without Mbappe's goals, the club would be in a very different place.”

The relationship is complicated: admiration for his talent, resentment over his past rejections, and a perception that he stands slightly apart from the institution he represents. Every missed chance, every perceived shrug, gets amplified.

Vinicius, Balague noted, faces a different kind of scrutiny.

“And Vinicius worked really hard without the ball, but they just don't forgive him anything even though he did renew his contract. It's a bit of a mystery but I think he is feeling the heat of it.”

He runs, he presses, he tracks back, yet the margin for error remains brutally thin. A heavy touch, a lost duel, a flare of emotion, and the whistles return.

Stones, fruit, and a long season ahead

For now, Mourinho stands between his stars and the storm, insisting that the trees under fire are the ones bearing the most fruit. The goals back him up. The trophies, at least last season, do not.

The Bernabeu has made its feelings known. Mbappe and Vinicius have heard the boos. The question now is simple and ruthless, in the way only Real Madrid can be: will those same trees be allowed to grow, or will the stones keep flying until something finally breaks?