The Portuguese coach addressed the forward's situation during his press conference ahead of Saturday's meeting with Valencia, making clear that his responsibility is to protect the team's interests while helping his players reach their best level.
“For me, the most important thing is the team. I have never, of my own free will, wanted to harm the team to benefit a player,” Mourinho said.
Vinícius has been unavailable for Madrid's recent LaLiga fixtures because of suspension, although Mourinho has continued to consider how the Brazilian will fit into his plans when he becomes available again.
The manager explained that his decisions are not made in isolation from the wider schedule, with the demands of successive matches influencing how he manages the squad.
“When we return to normality and Vinícius is available, I will manage the situation. As a coach, I do not think only about one match; I also think about the next one and the sequence of games we have.
“The Athens match was one for Vini, to give other players a rest. I have to do everything to get my players to their maximum level.”
Mourinho also defended the forward's potential, arguing that talented players can recover from difficult periods.
“A bad player will always be a bad player, however much you try. A good player, even in difficult moments, leaves the door open to returning to his normal level.”
He added that Vinícius continues to enjoy the support of his teammates, but insisted that the collective must remain above any individual.
The Real Madrid coach also played down the importance of his side's recent positive run, insisting that the trip to Valencia was his immediate priority.
“I am afraid of tomorrow's match, in quotation marks. The difficulty of tomorrow's game is my priority,” he said.
Mourinho described Valencia as a difficult opponent, praising their experienced coach and the clarity of the team's approach.
“I consider it one of the most difficult matches in the entire league. Their coach has a lot of experience and knows perfectly well the philosophy he wants for his teams. It will be a difficult match for us. To win, we have to be at our best.”
Madrid's preparations have been complicated by their late return from Athens, with the squad arriving at 3am before remaining at the training complex to gain additional rest.
“We arrived here at 3am, but we stayed. No player went home, because we wanted to try to get a couple more hours of sleep. The feedback from the players is positive, but we are not going to dramatise things. Tomorrow we will be ready.”
Mourinho also praised Federico Valverde's professionalism and humility, describing the responsibility of captaining Real Madrid as a significant challenge.
He was similarly respectful when asked about Cristiano Ronaldo's decision to step away from international football, saying the forward still has ambitions in his career and that his eventual retirement from the game should be a different occasion.
The coach was also asked whether Spanish football should suspend the weekend's fixtures following the death of Tenerife striker Jesús de Miguel.
Mourinho said the wishes of the player's family and teammates should guide any decision.
“If it were possible to speak with Jesús and ask him the question, that would be the ideal situation. Since that is not possible, only his family and teammates can answer what he would have wanted.”
The Madrid coach expects tributes to take place across Spanish football, but believes those closest to the player should have the decisive voice.