Mourinho defends Mbappe, Vinicius after Real Madrid fan boos

The pair were booed during Tuesday's 2-1 Champions League victory over Inter Milan, despite Mbappe opening the scoring - taking his tally to five goals in five matches thus far this season. The Frenchman has made a strong start to the season, while Vinicius has also shown signs of returning to his best under Mourinho.

Mourinho believes the criticism is a consequence of the standards the two attackers have set at Madrid.

"In Portugal, there is a proverb that says you only throw stones at trees that bear fruit," the Real boss said.

"What has Vini Jr done here in recent years? How many Champions Leagues has he won, and how many goals has he scored? He is a tree that bears a lot of fruit, and people throw stones because they want the fruit."

The Portuguese coach added that Vinicius' statistics indicate he is approaching his top level again, pointing to improvements in his defensive work and balls recovered.

Mbappe received similar backing from his manager after scoring 42 goals in 44 appearances for Madrid last season and being nominated for this year's Ballon d'Or.

"A player who scores more than 40 goals for a team is never a problem," Mourinho said.

He was particularly impressed by Mbappe's willingness to work defensively, recalling a moment when the exhausted forward continued to track back late in a match.

"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," added the Los Blancos boss.