Mourinho's patience runs out: goal drought and substitute's brilliance put Vinicius on the brink
Poor performance from the Brazilian
A Spanish report on Monday laid bare the strange predicament facing Brazil's Vinicius Junior at Real Madrid this season.
The website "Foot Mercato" put it bluntly: the weeks keep passing, and the conclusion never changes. Vinicius Junior is disappointing.
Sunday's derby defeat to Atletico Madrid told the same story. The Brazilian offered nothing, unable to make a difference, ineffective throughout and losing the ball time and again in the 2-1 loss.
His manager Jose Mourinho was fuming. After Dean Huijsen's dismissal reduced Real Madrid to ten men, Mourinho hauled the Brazil international off in the 54th minute.
Yan Diomande could not stop another league defeat, but the early substitution turned heads in Spain, especially given the praise heaped on the newcomer.
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"Creating goals is important, teamwork is extremely important, daily perseverance is important, and he performs them to perfection... but there is another Vinicius. The Vinicius who had a chance against Benfica last year, scored a goal, and knocked us out of the tournament. He is missing that special performance," Mourinho warned in recent weeks regarding his Brazilian player.
That spark has yet to ignite this season. For Vinicius, the situation could soon take a dramatic turn.
According to the latest from the newspaper "Marca", the Brazilian forward's place in the starting line-up is now under threat.
Vinicius Junior in danger
Mourinho's patience has run out. The Spanish newspaper reports that after another flat display, he may rethink his selections for the coming matches. The left winger had grown used to a pivotal role in Real Madrid's starting XI, and had promised the return of his goalscoring instinct.
He admitted as much after the Elche match: "I can't waste all these chances." Yet nothing has shifted. The winger's tally remains stuck on a single goal despite 652 minutes across all competitions.
That goal drought should push the Portuguese manager to change his plans in the coming weeks.
An alarm bell is ringing for a player known for his attacking impact and his knack for deciding matches.
Doubt now surrounds him. The Santiago Bernabeu crowd have jeered him repeatedly, and Vinicius Junior must prove his worth on the pitch to convince his manager to keep the faith.
Whether the threat becomes reality in the coming matches remains to be seen, but the message could not be clearer: his place in the starting line-up is no longer guaranteed.
Carlo Ancelotti has called him up to the Brazil squad for three friendlies during the international break, two against Australia before facing India. The player, whose Real Madrid contract runs until June 2032, will surely return desperate to rediscover his brilliance and prove his importance to the club.
His mission to restore his standing begins on 10 October at home to Villarreal.
