Real Madrid News
Former Real Madrid midfielder explains what star winger must fix to reach next level: ‘If he improves his…’
Recent months have been difficult for Vinicius Jr. as the winger has struggled not only for form but also for the fans’ affection from the stands.
Kylian Mbappe’s arrival was always expected to see the player overshadowed, but the situation is now getting out of hand, with fans openly booing the star winger and making their disappointment in his performances and attitude clear.
Needless to say, the situation is taking a toll on the player and he is even reconsidering his future at the club.
His performances on the field are not helping his case either, as he has been largely struggling to rack up goal contributions.
Former player backs Vinicius
Defending the winger and his performances in a recent interview, former Real Madrid player Alvaro Benito spoke about how the Brazilian has always taken on hardships head-on and backed him to come out stronger.
“Vinicius always faces challenges. He has gone through very difficult situations at Real Madrid.”
“It’s surprising that all the attention is focused on him alone, when the picture is much bigger than that,” he added, elaborating on how the issues were far deeper than just one player.
The retired player then praised Vinicius for his performance against Levante and spoke about how he played a massive role in helping the team to the win.
“Against Levante, Vinícius fought and proved that he is capable of turning the situation around, especially in the second half when the team raised its aggressiveness.”
“Vini is the only player capable of changing the course of the game – yes, him – through good, organised, and balanced football,” he added.
Benito then gave the winger advice on where he must still improve to become a more central player in the manager’s plans.
“If Vinicius improves his performance off the ball and his coordination with the team, it will positively reflect on his play with the ball.”
“Damn it, we’re talking about an amazing player. He’s the one who grabs the game by the handle and takes control,” he ended in his praise.
Source: El Larguero
Real Madrid News
Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr. admits finishing problem after another frustrating night vs Elche: ‘Can’t miss that much’
Vinicius Jr.’s difficult start in front of goal continued against Elche, and the Real Madrid forward did not need anyone to tell him he had missed another chance to make the difference.
The Brazilian finished the night without a goal despite having chances to get on the scoresheet, while his teammates could only watch from the bench as opportunities went begging.
Jose Mourinho had already identified the problem before kick-off, bluntly pointing to the issue facing his forward, stating, “He’s missing the goal.”
Vini offered an equally frank assessment afterwards.
Rather than hide from another frustrating evening, he accepted responsibility on social media: “The goals will come back; I can’t miss that much…”
Two chances, no finish for Vinicius
Vinicius had two particularly clear openings against Elche, but neither produced the finish Real Madrid needed from their star forward.
The first arrived when he found himself one-on-one with the opposition goalkeeper.
Instead of finding the net, Vinicius caught the ball with the tip of his foot and sent his effort wide. Arda Guler was available during the move and called for the ball, but Vini backed himself to finish the chance.
He had another opportunity after the interval, this time following an excellent pass from Guler during a quick Real Madrid transition. Again, though, Vinicius could not find the target.
His evening ended in the 68th minute, with Mourinho deciding the Brazilian was tired and turning his attention towards Sunday’s Atletico Madrid derby.
Mourinho has a bigger decision to make
The numbers show why Vinicius’ finishing has become a talking point. He managed five shots against Elche, but only one was on target and none found the net.
After seven appearances this season, the Brazilian has scored just once, which is a striking return for a player Real Madrid rely upon to provide a major share of their attacking threat.
Ultimately, though, Real Madrid found another route to victory, with Arda Guler, Kylian Mbappe and Carlos Espi providing the goals in the 3-2 comeback.
