How tonight resembles yesterday: the Clasico threatens Vinicius's season
Vinicius Junior sat out the latest Clasico through suspension as Real Madrid edged their rivals Barcelona 2-1 at the Spotify Camp Nou.
That absence could prove a turning point in his career inside the Santiago Bernabeu, especially with new faces emerging to challenge him for a starting berth under Jose Mourinho.
Ivorian Yan Diomande seized the chance handed to him by Vinicius's four-match ban. He imposed himself on the Los Blancos lineup and produced a superb display in Sunday's Clasico.
With Diomande shining, the conversation shifted. It was no longer about the absence of Vinicius Junior but about where the Samba star fits into Mourinho's plans once he returns.
Cast your mind back to last season's first-round Clasico in La Liga. Vinicius stole the spotlight by objecting to his substitution, a decision taken by coach Xabi Alonso despite the 2-1 win over Barcelona.
Alonso pulled Vinicius in the 72nd minute, sending on Rodrygo Goes in his place. The Brazilian made his anger plain, stormed off down the tunnel towards the dressing rooms, then quickly returned to sit on the substitutes' bench.
From there a period of tension set in, fuelled by the disputes between Alonso and Vinicius. It ended with the Spaniard's departure. The Brazilian's form dipped, too, and Los Blancos finished a second straight season without a trophy.
Now Vinicius Junior faces that same test again, with Diomande in dazzling form.
Mourinho's recent calls only sharpen the questions. He substituted Vinicius in Madrid's last two Champions League matches, even though the player is suspended in La Liga and has no need to be rested.
Off came Vinicius in the 59th minute against Roma. The coach then withdrew the Brazilian in the 70th minute during the Leipzig match.
Those decisions open the door to all sorts of possibilities over Vinicius's standing in the Portuguese coach's project, and whether Mourinho is ready to hand him a role different from the one he has grown used to in recent years.
Last season's Clasico marked a pivotal station in Vinicius's career. This season's encounter may carry very different repercussions for his future.
So will the scenario repeat itself, with the Clasico marking the start of a difficult phase for the Brazilian star? Or will he force Diomande back onto the substitutes' bench once more?
