Mourinho confirms Vinícius Júnior to start for Real Madrid against Leipzig

Real Madrid manager José Mourinho has confirmed that Vinícius Júnior will return to the starting XI for the upcoming Champions League fixture against RB Leipzig.

The Portuguese coach explained that the decision is designed to maintain the Brazilian winger's match fitness. Vinícius did not feature in the previous match against Sevilla, instead focusing on an individual physical conditioning program.

I don't like to do it, but it's a forced situation. He will start on Wednesday. The Champions League is an opportunity to keep him motivated, so he's not just training but also getting game time. He's fresh, and since he didn't play against Sevilla today, he worked a lot on his physical form. José Mourinho

Mourinho also warned against underestimating the German side, despite their recent 1-6 defeat to Bayern Munich. He emphasized that the scoreline does not accurately reflect the quality of RB Leipzig, and expects a completely different challenge this Wednesday.