Mourinho backs suspended Vinicius ahead of Sevilla clash

Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho defended Vinicius Jr. on Saturday as the Brazilian forward prepares to serve a four-match suspension following his dismissal against Villarreal last weekend, reported Xinhua.

Vinicius was banned for pulling the hair of Villarreal midfielder Nathan Saliba during Real Madrid's 1-0 win, receiving a two-match suspension for the incident and a further two matches for protesting the referee's decision.

"He's a spectacular guy, and it's easy to have a good relationship with him," Mourinho said ahead of Sunday's La Liga home match against Sevilla.

The Portuguese coach also played down suggestions that Vinicius' substitution had been decisive in Real Madrid's dramatic 4-3 Champions League victory over Roma on Wednesday.

Madrid scored three late goals to complete the comeback after Vinicius was replaced by Endrick, who played a key role in the turnaround.

Mourinho pointed out that he had made five changes during the match, insisting that "substitutions are simply part of football."

The Real Madrid coach offered few clues about his starting lineup against Sevilla, emphasizing the competition for places in his squad.

"There are so many players who deserve to play: not just 11, but 15 or 16," he said.