The timing of the announcement has drawn sharp criticism from both the player and his manager,
Disciplinary Process and Communication Concerns
Beyond the timing of the notification, Vinicius expressed significant concerns regarding the lack of transparency surrounding the specific disciplinary rule that triggered his ban. The 25-year-old claimed that the squad had not been properly briefed on the regulation, despite the standard practice of officials visiting the club to explain changes to the rulebook. According to the forward, this particular change was never communicated to the players, leaving him confused as to why such a severe penalty was applied without prior warning or explanation.
Manager Jose Mourinho echoed these sentiments during his post-match press conference, describing the timing of the announcement as unprofessional. Mourinho argued that the league authorities could have easily waited until the following morning to deliver the news, rather than disrupting the player's preparation for a high-stakes Champions League match. He suggested that the decision appeared to be made with little regard for the player's mental state, stating that the move felt like an attempt to unsettle the forward just as he was preparing to take the pitch for a major fixture.
