La Liga is truly back, as Real Madrid's hard-fought 2-1 victory over Espanyol at the RCDE Stadium was overshadowed by heated incidents involving Vinicius Junior, both on and off the pitch.

The Catalan side took to social media to mock Vinicius Junior for a penalty appeal incident during the match.

An early altercation earned the Brazilian a yellow card, and Espanyol posted on social media, questioning why Vinicius had not received a second yellow card for alleged simulation.

In response to the hostile environment, Los Blancos boss Jose Mourinho called out the opponents for bullying the Brazil international after the game.

Espanyol Mock Vinicius Jr With "How Many Dives?" Social Media Post

While the game was still underway in Catalonia, Espanyol's social media team already added to its fiery nature with a post aimed at Vinicius Junior.

The Brazilian received a booking after 32 minutes following a confrontation with Alex Calatrava, and went to ground on multiple occasions inside the Espanyol penalty area and appealed for a penalty.

Espanyol posted on X: "How many dives does it actually take to get a second yellow card? Asking for a friend," sparking reactions from fans worldwide.

Vinicius Jr Penalty Appeals Spark Tensions With Espanyol

Referee Jose Maria Sanchez Martinez was at the centre of attention in what was a hostile meeting between Espanyol and Real Madrid.

The first flashpoint took place just minutes after kick-off, with Espanyol star Calatrava appearing to kick Vinicius Jr in the back while the Real Madrid man was on the ground following a coming together.

Calatrava's action was not punished by the referee, with the player denying any wrongdoing in the post-match press conference.

Another coming together between Vinicius Jr and Calatrava resulted in a booking each for both players, the first two of the game.

After this came a controversial penalty-area incident, where the Brazil international went to ground after contact from Edu Exposito.

He wanted a penalty but the referee waved away his appeals and did not book him, leading to frustration for Espanyol.

Espanyol appeared to believe the forward should have received a second yellow card, leading to their pointed post on X.

Jose Mourinho Defends Vinicius Jr and Calls Out "Bullying"

Mourinho defended Vinicius after the match, arguing that opponents are allowed to repeatedly target the Brazilian despite the criticism he receives for his own behaviour.

The Portuguese tactician admitted that while the Brazilian himself is not without fault, opponents get away with a lot of 'bullying' when they face him.

"I run the risk of you going back months to find my words from when I was Vini’s opponent. But now Vini is mine. He’s no saint, but what they do to him is too much.

"From the first minute, it’s like he’s already been given a set routine. Now I foul him, now you foul him, one player gets a yellow card, another comes on without one.

"It’s incredibly frustrating for him; he needs to have a lot of mental control.

"I’ve even told him that if he scores, he should be careful how he celebrates. We’re in a social era of anti-bullying, but with Vini, we’re still in the era of bullying."

Vinicius Junior completed three dribbles, the joint-most in the game, and won 12 ground duels. He suffered eight fouls, supporting Mourinho's argument about the treatment he receives from opponents.

Despite the controversy, Mourinho ultimately left with the result he wanted after Carlos Espi scored late to secure victory for Real Madrid.