MADRID — Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho on Tuesday warned Brazilian winger Vinicius Junior and the team’s other stars that no-one is “untouchable”.
Vinicius has struggled for form this season and is serving a four-match ban in La Liga for hair-pulling, but is available as Madrid host RB Leipzig in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday.
Ivorian winger Yan Diomande, the club’s record 140 million euro ($157m) signing, has impressed in recent weeks, scoring against Sevilla on Sunday in La Liga in Vinicius’s absence.
“Only the club badge is untouchable,” Mourinho told reporters when asked if Vinicius’s place in the team was in danger given Diomande’s form.
“I don’t like the concept of untouchable players.
“What makes a player untouchable is not his status, the armband, his years at the club, how much was paid for him, what makes him untouchable is his performance on the pitch,” Mourinho added according to AFP.
Mourinho said Vinicius would play on the left wing against Leipzig and he had not yet told Diomande whether he would start as well.
Madrid host the Bundesliga side aiming for a third Champions League victory from three matches in the league phase, but in La Liga, they are third and six points behind leaders Barcelona, who they visit on Sunday.
Mourinho said the team’s level is still a long way from where he hopes he can take it.
“A long way off… we’ve been here three or four months, it’s impossible to be where we want to be,” continued the veteran Portuguese coach.
“We always have to improve, be it individually or collectively… I understand the demands (at this club) are the maximum.
“I’ve been here three years (2010-2013), and so I know perfectly well how things are. I can’t lose my direction… (even though) I know there is a lot of work to do.”
French defender Ibrahima Konate said the former Chelsea and Manchester United coach commanded respect.
“He’s a great manager, I think he has this aura that not many managers have, because he doesn’t need to speak and everyone will listen and respect him,” Konate told reporters.
