According to ESPN commentator Rodra, Vinicius is in good spirits and popular in the dressing room, but his physical condition is the main concern. Mourinho hopes he can return to his best form soon. Otherwise, he risks being dropped to the bench.
Real Madrid have been in dominant form over the past 30 days. After a painful 2-1 defeat to Atletico Madrid in the derby, the team quickly recovered and won eight consecutive matches through hard work in training. Four of those wins came without Vinicius, whom Mourinho has been managing carefully.
The Brazilian is not at his best at the moment, and Rodra shared some details. The ESPN reporter said: "People at Real Madrid told me at the Valdebebas training ground that he is in good spirits. In fact, he is the most popular player in the dressing room. My concern is that this is a physical issue."
"What he lacks now is not the desire to dribble, but the ability to do it. Everyone tells me he is in good spirits, a kid who doesn't give up easily, always wants to make things happen and jokes with his teammates. They always say this about their day-to-day interactions with him."
Rodra pointed out that Vinicius "needs a decisive improvement in his physical condition to become the player he once was. Right now he can't find that, which also makes it hard for him to reach another level." He also said that Mourinho has been trying to help him regain his best form. Abraham Romero had previously reported in El Mundo that the Portuguese coach's staff had drawn up a specific plan for this.
"Mourinho is preparing him, hoping he can start in the match after the international break, perhaps a home game against a less difficult opponent in a less tense atmosphere..." Rodra said, stressing that although the Portuguese coach has full confidence in Vinicius, his chances to secure a regular place are not unlimited.
"I think Mourinho wants to get him back and will do everything he can, but clearly, if he doesn't meet the required level, he won't start. At that point, many things come into play, such as Vinicius potentially being sold in the summer if he loses his place," concluded Rodra, a former Relevo reporter from the time when the outlet was still part of the Vocento group.
After being sent off against Villarreal, Vinicius will return to league action against Celta de Vigo on November 22 at 4 AM Beijing Time (9 PM CET on November 21). The Galician side will visit the Bernabéu, where they pulled off an upset last year, winning there for the first time in nearly two decades. The match will be played after the season's second international break.
With Yan Diomande establishing himself, the pressure on the number 7 is also growing. The former RB Leipzig player has been deployed on the left wing in place of Vinicius, but in the Ivorian's favor, his versatility allows him to rotate constantly across the flanks during a match.