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Jose Mourinho offered a throwback to the stormiest days of his first stint at Real Madrid after surprisingly boycotting the mandatory post-match press conference following a tense 1-0 victory over Villarreal. The fiery encounter, marked by a red card for Vinicius, saw the Portuguese tactician revert to familiar habits reminiscent of his controversial earlier reign with Los Blancos.
"I want to be on the touchline against Sevilla and Barca," was the message Mourinho relayed internally to justify his absence, according to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo. The 'Special One' chose to steer clear of the microphones during a heated moment, well aware that an emotional outburst could trigger a disciplinary ban and sideline him for upcoming crunch fixtures.
Mourinho cut an agitated figure throughout the contest, openly venting his frustration at several key junctures. Vinicius' dismissal only added fuel to the fire both on the pitch and in the dugouts on a night when Madrid managed to grind out all three points courtesy of a solitary goal.
The manager's actions inevitably drew comparisons to his turbulent past at the Santiago Bernabeu. During his previous tenure, Mourinho frequently clashed with the media, snubbed questions from specific journalists, or simply delegated post-match press duties to his assistant, Aitor Karanka.
His relationship with the press was once among the most fiercely debated topics in Spanish football, with his media appearances routinely turning into arenas for sharp barbs and verbal sparring. More than a decade later, the Portuguese boss revived shades of that fiery persona, albeit this time using silence as a tactical ploy to avoid jeopardizing his presence for crucial showdowns with Sevilla and Barcelona.
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