Real Madrid's head coach, Jose Mourinho, shared his insights following his team's narrow victory over Espanyol on Saturday evening. The match marked the opening round of the 2026-2027 La Liga season.

In comments reported by the Spanish newspaper 'Marca', Mourinho praised the performance of his team and highlighted the contributions of several players. He also addressed the challenges faced by Brazilian player Vinicius Junior, including aggressive plays and incidents of racism. Additionally, Mourinho commended the referee's handling of the game and credited the substitutes for their role in securing the win.

Mourinho stated, "I believe we deserved to win, but it was not an easy defeat for Espanyol either. We maintained good control over the match, applied strong pressure, and took significant risks."

He continued, "Espanyol is highly organized defensively and poses a threat with their counterattacks, making it difficult for them to come away from this match without a loss."

The Portuguese manager expressed surprise at Jude Bellingham's ability to play for such an extended period during the match. He mentioned that the team still requires more training sessions and matches to reach optimal performance levels.

Mourinho remarked, "This victory is crucial for us. It comes down to substitutes who are eager and motivated, as opposed to those who offer no real benefit."

Mourinho also spoke about Vinicius Junior's experiences on the field, emphasizing that the treatment he receives from opponents and fans has crossed a line.

He commented, "I worry that you might recall my remarks from months ago when I faced Vinicius as an opponent. Now he's not a saint or an angel, but what he's subjected to is excessive."

Mourinho elaborated, "It seems repetitive that one player receives a yellow card for a foul against him, only for another player to commit a foul without any penalty. When a player is substituted, another enters to commit further fouls."

The coach stressed the importance of Vinicius maintaining composure and self-control, saying, "I advised him to celebrate cautiously if he scores."

Mourinho added, "We live in an era that opposes bullying, yet with Vinicius, we still face harassment from rivals and fans. We need to educate and prepare him as best as we can."

Mourinho expressed satisfaction with the referee's performance during the match by saying, "I think the referee had an outstanding game. I'm not just saying that because we won; I observed this from the bench."