- Vinicius Jr was influential for Madrid as they clinched their 15th European Cup
- The Brazilian scored the Spanish side’s second in the 2-0 win over Dortmund
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Jose Mourinho was adamant that Vinicius Jr was lucky to escape a second yellow card for diving during the Champions League final between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund.
The Brazilian appeared to go to ground without receiving a touch mid-way through the first-half of the final at Wembley.
The Madrid winger had only minutes prior been controversially booked by referee Slavko Vincic for a late tackle on Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel.
But the apparent dive could have resulted in an early end to his evening, which Mourinho believes would have been the correct outcome.
‘That’s dive,’ the two-time Champions League winner said on TNT Sports. ‘No doubt that a dive. And then [Nico] Schlotterbeck gets a yellow card for complaining with the referee.
‘Okay, you have to get the yellow card but in the end it’s a consequence of something that he knew. He knew perfectly that that was a dive.’
The Dortmund defender Schlotterbeck was not the only one angered by the officials’ decision to overlook Vinicius’ action.
The German side’s dismay was compounded in the second half as Madrid asserted their dominance over the tie.
Having enjoyed a glut of clear-cut opportunities in the first period, Dortmund went behind to Dani Carvajal’s 74th-minute header.
To add insult to injury, Vinicius himself then doubled the Spanish giants’ lead with a deft finish over Kobel in the 83rd minute of the game.
Eden Terzic’s side pushed for a route back into the game and thought they had found it when Niclaus Fullkrug nodded in Ian Maatsen’s cross from close range.
But the striker’s joy quickly dissipated upon seeing the official’s flag raised on the far side.
Vinicius’ goal proved to be the clincher for Madrid, who remarkably secured a record-extending 15th Champions League win.