José Mourinho has defended Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior after sections of Real Madrid’s support criticised the two forwards, arguing that scrutiny is inevitable for players who have achieved so much. The Madrid manager used a Portuguese proverb—“you only throw stones at trees that have fruit”—to explain why the pair remain targets for criticism despite their importance to the team.

The criticism followed Real Madrid’s 1–0 La Liga defeat at Real Betis, their first loss of Mourinho’s second spell in charge. Troy Parrott scored the late winner after Mbappé missed a stoppage-time penalty, with Álvaro Valles making the decisive save.

Mourinho said Vinícius has not yet reached his highest level this season but stressed that the Brazilian’s work rate and contribution to the team remain valuable.

“What Vinícius has done here in recent years—the Champions Leagues he has won, the goals he has scored, the balls he has won—his achievements speak for themselves,” Mourinho said. “He is a tree bearing plenty of fruit, and people throw stones because they want fruit. The best Vinícius is yet to come.”

The Real Madrid coach made the same point when discussing Mbappé. The France captain scored the opening goal in Tuesday’s 2–1 Champions League victory over Inter Milan, taking his tally to five goals in five appearances this season and moving level with Raúl González on 71 Champions League goals.

Mbappé and Federico Valverde scored inside the first 23 minutes against Inter before Carlos Augusto reduced the deficit. Real Madrid held on to secure a winning start to their European campaign, although Mourinho admitted the performance was not straightforward.

Mourinho rejected suggestions that Mbappé is a problem for the team, pointing to the forward’s productivity and commitment without the ball.

“Obviously, a player who scores more than 40 goals for a team is never a problem,” Mourinho said. “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.”

Mbappé scored 42 goals in 44 appearances for Real Madrid last season, and Mourinho believes the forward’s current output and defensive effort make him central to the club’s ambitions. Vinícius, meanwhile, remains a vital attacking option as Madrid seek a response to their setback in Seville.

Real Madrid host Rayo Vallecano at the Santiago Bernabéu on Saturday, with Mourinho’s side aiming to return to winning ways in La Liga after their defeat to Betis.