Mourinho explains Vinicius Jr substitution after Real Madrid's 3-2 win over Elche

Mourinho substituted Vinicius Junior with Brahim Diaz in the 68th minute of Real Madrid's 3-2 LaLiga win over Elche on Tuesday. The Brazilian forward, who had not scored, was praised by Mourinho for his defensive work but noted as very tired, prompting the change. Madrid took the lead through an own goal by Elche's Matias Dituro, then Kylian Mbappe made it 2-0 before Elche's Abiel Osorio and Fer Nino equalized. Carlos Espi's late winner secured the three points for Madrid.

The substitution highlights Mourinho's approach to managing player fatigue during a busy schedule, showing that even key attackers like Vinicius Jr may be rested when minutes accumulate. It also signals confidence in Brahim Diaz's ability to influence games off the bench, as Diaz contributed to the hard-fought victory despite not scoring.

For fantasy managers or bettors tracking player rotation, does this suggest you should monitor Vinicius Jr's minutes in upcoming matches and consider Brahim Diaz as a differential pick when rotation is likely?

SOURCE: https://dailypost.ng/2026/09/16/laliga-why-i-substituted-vinicius-jr-against-elche-mourinho/