Mourinho: "No player is untouchable at Real Madrid"

Responding to calls for Yan Diomande to start ahead of Vinicius Junior, Jose Mourinho insisted that no player at Real Madrid is "untouchable".

Vinicius has fallen short of expectations this season, managing just 1 goal and 3 assists in 10 appearances for Real Madrid. The 26-year-old Brazilian star was handed a 4-match LaLiga ban for pulling Nathan Saliba's hair during the Villarreal game and will miss the season's first El Clásico on 25 October.

Diomande, meanwhile, has caught the eye since the international break. The youngster has 2 goals and 2 assists in his last 3 appearances, a direct hand in 4 goals.

Mourinho stressed that nobody's place in his side is guaranteed, but nonetheless confirmed that Vinicius will start in Wednesday's Champions League clash with RB Leipzig.

"The only thing that is untouchable is the badge. I don't like the concept of untouchable players. What makes a player untouchable is his performance on the pitch. Vinicius will play on the left wing against Leipzig. As for Yan, he doesn't know yet whether he will play or not," said the Portuguese coach.

Real Madrid and Leipzig will meet in the Champions League for the 5th time. The German side have won only 1 of the previous 4 meetings (1 draw, 2 defeats), and that victory came by a 3-2 scoreline on home soil in October 2022.

Los Blancos, who were beaten in both legs of last season's Champions League quarter-final by Bayern Munich, last suffered 3 successive defeats against German opposition between May 2001 and April 2002.

Ahead of the game, Mourinho also addressed his side's Champions League ambitions: "It's still very early. Our first objective is to qualify, and the next is to avoid the play-offs. I feel we will need a lot of points for that. First we must reach the 11 or 12 points that will see us through the group, and then collect the points that guarantee us a place in the top 8."