Vini Jr faces brutal Real Madrid reality as Mourinho prepares major change

When Vinicius Junior returns from his La Liga suspension after the international break, he could find himself in a very different position at Real Madrid, with Jose Mourinho preparing to make a brutal decision.

Vini has sat out the last four league games for Los Blancos, having been handed a four-match ban after pulling the hair of Villarreal defender Nathan Saliba.

Over the course of these games, which included victory in El Clasico, Real Madrid have picked up a maximum 12 points and scored 12 goals as they have shut the gap to Barcelona at the top of the league to three points.

Crucially for Mourinho, though, the performance of his forward line has been impressive, with record summer signing Yan Diomande particularly catching the eye while filling Vini’s position on the left wing.

And now the Ivory Coast international will displace his Brazilian colleague in that role, according to a report from AS.

Mourinho has already hinted at this. Speaking after Real Madrid’s Champions League victory over AEK, a match in which Vini’s performance was criticised in the media, the coach said:

“For me, the most important thing is the team. I have never, of my own volition, wanted to harm the team to benefit a player. Vinicius has played in the last two Champions League matches, yes. But when he returns to normal and is available, I will manage the situation.

“A bad player will always be a bad player. But a good one will have his off days. If Vinicius were a bad player, you'd say he played well in Athens.

“He will continue working, and when it comes to deciding who plays, the team comes before any individual player.”

But while Mourinho continues to publicly back the Brazilian, AS points out that Vini “finds himself in a series of situations where he doesn’t come out on top”. Behind the scenes, the verdict is harsher: the former Flamengo player cannot currently be considered a starter.

It adds that Vini is “in a bind”, but that also raises an issue at Real Madrid, where his superstar status was apparently preserved in a contract signed this summer.

That deal is worth a staggering €130m over six years, and it’s difficult to see how Los Blancos can possibly get their money’s worth from it given that players like Diomande and Arda Guler only seem to be getting stronger.

Vini, on the other hand, has been the subject of criticism over his form for months. And he has not responded to the challenge yet this season. A return of one goal in 12 appearances is not the type of output that Madrid can accept from a leading earner.

It’s unclear how the situation will play out. Mourinho is clearly not about to give up on a player who was close to winning a Ballon d’Or just a couple of years ago, but equally Madrid cannot afford to have him sucking a massive salary from the club just to see him make an impact from the bench.

If anything, this is a test of Vini’s hunger to stay at the top – and it’s one that Real Madrid need him to pass.

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