Vinícius: Day One in the Spotlight Amidst Bullying Accusations

Vinícius Júnior found himself at the center of controversy once again during a match against Espanyol, not for his performance, but for the rough treatment he endured. In the third minute, the player was fouled from behind and kicked while on the ground, an incident that did not result in a card for the opponent.

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Vinícius suffers bullying.

This rough play prompted coach Jose Mourinho to comment in a press conference, stating, 'Vinícius suffers bullying.' Mourinho drew upon a past incident from February, when he defended his player against accusations of racist insults. At that time, Mourinho had questioned Vinícius's goal celebrations, suggesting he should emulate legends like Di Stéfano or Pelé rather than provoke the crowd.

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Vinicius is not a saint, but what they do to him is too much. We are in a social era of anti-bullying. With Vinicius, we are still in a bullying (harassment) by the rival teams and the fans.

Now, with both coach and player at Real Madrid, Mourinho reiterated his stance. He acknowledged that Vinícius is not without flaws but emphasized that the persistent targeting and physical fouls against him are excessive. Mourinho described it as a deliberate tactic by opposing teams, where players intentionally foul Vinícius, sometimes taking yellow cards to do so, creating a frustrating experience for the Brazilian.

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I give him, now you give him. If I have a yellow card, you give him. One goes out with a yellow card, another comes in without a yellow card, and he hits him. It's a frustration for him.

Statistics support the claim of targeted fouls, with Vinícius receiving eight fouls in the match, significantly more than any other player. The incident involving Cala, which occurred early in the game and resulted in a kick to Vinícius's back while he was on the ground, set the tone for the match. Although Cala apologized, the lack of a card for the foul underscored the pattern of aggressive play directed at the young forward.

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Vinícius was the player who received the most fouls in the match - eight - far ahead of the next on this list: Arda Güler, Kylian Mbappé and Javier Hernández, with two.