Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has come to the defense of Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr after both players were jeered by their own supporters during the club's recent home matches, likening the pair to fruit-laden trees that inevitably attract stones.
The criticism arrived despite Mbappe scoring the opening goal in a 2-1 win over Inter Milan on Tuesday, a strike that lifted him into a tie for fifth on the all-time list of Champions League scorers. Even so, jeers rang out from sections of the Bernabeu directed at both the Frenchman and his Brazilian teammate, with critics pointing to their perceived lack of defensive contribution.
Asked about the treatment of Vinicius Jr, Mourinho reached for a Portuguese proverb to explain the situation. "In Portuguese, we have a proverb that says we only throw stones at the trees that have fruit," he said. He went on to highlight the winger's trophy haul, goal tally and overall body of work as evidence that Vinicius has earned his standing at the club. "So what Vini has done here over recent years - how many Champions Leagues has he won, how many goals has he scored, how many balls has he won? His achievements speak for themselves so he is the tree that has a lot of fruit on it and people want to get a piece of Vini," Mourinho explained.
The Real Madrid boss added that modern data analysis backs up his belief that the Brazilian is approaching peak form. "During this digital era where we have access to so many stats, we can tell that he is very close to getting to his best version. He's even set some records already. The stats and numbers he registers suggest we will see his best version very soon," he said.
Mourinho offered a nearly identical defense of Mbappe, who last season scored 42 goals in 44 appearances for the club and is currently among the nominees for the Ballon d'Or. "I want to remind you of the proverb I said before. He is the tree with a lot of fruit," Mourinho said. "Obviously a player who scores more than 40 goals for a team is never a problem." He also praised the forward's work rate at the other end of the pitch, adding, "I saw Kylian giving it his all. He was defending like an animal, even when he had nothing left. His attitude is incredible. It is a joy for me to see a player like that."
Despite the individual brilliance of both attackers, Real Madrid finished last season without a trophy, and Spanish football analyst Guillem Balague suggested that barren campaign may partly explain the frustration among supporters. Speaking on the 5Live Euro Leagues podcast, Balague admitted the exact motivation behind the boos remains unclear. "I don't think anyone really knows [why]," he said. "There was a bit about the past, of two years of no winning. But the two main stars are not that liked by the fans."
Balague pointed to perceptions around Mbappe's personality and past dealings with the club as possible factors. "Mbappe feels a little bit cold, sometimes he can be like Cristiano Ronaldo and he speaks like he is bigger than Real Madrid," he said. "And also, he said no to Real Madrid about three times before and maybe they haven't forgotten that - but without Mbappe's goals, the club would be in a very different place."
As for Vinicius, Balague noted that the winger's defensive efforts and new long-term contract have done little to soften the fans' stance. "Vinicius worked really hard without the ball, but they just don't forgive him anything even though he did renew his contract," he said. "It's a bit of a mystery but I think he is feeling the heat of it."
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.