Stop bullying Vinicius - Mourinho slams La Liga referees, demand protection for Vini

He highlighted an incident in their recent 2-1 victory over Espanyol where an early, unpunished kick on the Brazilian set the tone for the match. 

The player responsible, Álex Calatrava, went on to score before eventually being booked for a separate foul on Vinícius. 

Mourinho argued that the officials' inaction allowed the physical tactics against his player to escalate throughout the game.

Real Madrid manager Mourinho expressed his frustration over the persistent and aggressive fouling directed at Vinícius. 

Mourinho drew a sharp parallel between the on-field treatment of Vinícius and the behaviour of children testing limits. 

"It's like kids. Little kids go as far as you allow them to. With players, it's the same," he explained to the press. 

The manager believes that opponents are encouraged to continue their aggressive approach when referees fail to issue early yellow cards. 

He also criticised the video assistant referee for not intervening during the Espanyol match, emphasising that the primary duty to shield players from harm lies with the on-field referee.

While staunchly defending his player, Mourinho conceded that Vinícius could still improve aspects of his on-pitch demeanour, particularly in his interactions with opposing fans. 

He made a clear distinction between standard football taunts and racist abuse but suggested the winger could handle certain situations better. 

However, Mourinho was adamant that this does not excuse the lack of protection from physical aggression.