Mourinho confirms Vinicius will start against RB Leipzig

Abdullateef Fowewe

Real Madrid manager, José Mourinho has confirmed that Vinícius Júnior will start in Wednesday’s Champions League clash against RB Leipzig, with the decision already finalised.

“Vinicius will start on Wednesday. The decision is made,” Mourinho said.

The Brazilian forward is currently serving a four-match La Liga suspension stemming from an incident involving hair-pulling and protests during the recent victory over Villarreal.

The ban does not apply to European competition, leaving him available for the midweek fixture at the Santiago Bernabéu.

Mourinho had previously indicated that Vinicius was likely to feature, telling media earlier that “without promising anything. I think he’ll start on Wednesday” after defending the player’s difficult outing against Roma in the previous Champions League match.

Vinicius was not involved in Real Madrid’s emphatic 4-1 La Liga win over Sevilla on Sunday, a result achieved under Mourinho’s management.

The Portuguese coach returned to the club for a second spell in the summer of 2026, more than a decade after his first tenure between 2010 and 2013.

The Champions League meeting with Leipzig on 21 October represents an opportunity for the 26-year-old to regain match sharpness and contribute in a competition where he remains fully eligible, ahead of further domestic fixtures including El Clásico later in the week.