Vinicius was substituted in the 87th minute at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday, prompting some supporters to express frustration with his performance. The Brazil international had struggled to make a decisive impact against Inter\u2019s organised defence.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
However, Mourinho refused to criticise the winger and instead highlighted the effort he put in for the team.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cHe isn\u2019t at his best, and he knows it, but he\u2019s working hard to be the Vinicius who decides games. Without being at his best, he\u2019s working harder than ever,\u201d Mourinho told reporters after the match.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The Portuguese manager also pointed to fatigue as one of the reasons Vinicius was unable to maintain his defensive work late in the game.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cIn the moments that he wasn\u2019t able to drop back and defend, it was because of fatigue. I have to value that a lot. I have a lot of respect for this Vinicius. \"The time will come when he decides games and wins us games,\u201d he said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Mourinho also defended Vinicius against criticism of his performance by explaining the difficulties Real Madrid\u2019s attackers faced against Inter\u2019s tactical setup.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cIf he works, he\u2019ll always have my support,\u201d he said. \u201cHe worked very hard for the team. \u201cIt\u2019s very hard for wingers to play against a side that uses three defenders at the back and wing-backs.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The Real Madrid boss believes Vinicius could have made a much bigger difference had he been at his best, particularly in one-on-one situations.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cIf he works, he\u2019ll always have my support,\u201d he said. \u201cHe worked very hard for the team. \u201cIt\u2019s very hard for wingers to play against a side that uses three defenders at the back and wing-backs.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Real Madrid secured three points in their Champions League opener thanks to goals from Kylian Mbappe and Federico Valverde, despite Inter managing to keep the hosts under pressure for long periods.<\/p>\r\n\r\n