Mourinho: I would have left Real Madrid if I were in Vinicius's place

Vinicius (26) has also been constantly targeted by opposing fans and subjected to racist abuse on numerous occasions since joining the Royal Club in 2018.

Mourinho told reporters, "He is an amazing boy who is easy to build a good relationship with."

He added: "He is a wonderful human being, and he deserves all the credit, because he continues to live and endure, and he still keeps his smile..."

He continued, "If I were in his place, I might not have stayed here. Last summer, I would have forced a move to a league and a country where there are competitive clubs and stadiums that respect him."

Vinicius signed a new contract with "Los Blancos" in the summer until 2032.

Question marks remain about Real's ability to field its attacking stars Vinicius, Frenchman Kylian Mbappe, and Englishman Jude Bellingham together without lacking balance.

Mourinho continued, "Because he loves Real Madrid, loves the club and the city, and because he believes that things can always improve, he renewed and continues to smile."

He added, "They can affect him negatively, yes, because he is human... but to take away his joy of life, work, and living with his teammates, no, no one can do that."

The new-old coach of the "Merengue" substituted Vinicius during the 4-3 Champions League victory over Italy's Roma on Wednesday, as the winger continues to struggle to regain the form that helped him win the competition twice under Italian Carlo Ancelotti.

Mourinho said he is happy that Vinicius's suspension was limited to four matches, considering that some hidden figures in the Spanish Football Federation's disciplinary committee "would have given him one or two more matches."