One of the reasons why Real Madrid failed to win any trophies in the 2023-2024 season was the alarming decline of key striker Vinicius Junior. After being considered a candidate for the Golden Ball award thanks to his explosive performances that helped Los Blancos win the Champions League and La Liga double, the Brazilian star could not maintain his form in the final stages of coach Carlo Ancelotti's reign, when Real finished the season behind Barcelona.
However, under new coach Xabi Alonso, Vinicius is slowly finding his feet. In a 3-0 win over Salzburg, the 24-year-old star scored and provided a beautiful heel assist for Fede Valverde, helping Real Madrid to top Group H at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup and avoid a clash with their fiercest opponents – Manchester City – in the round of 16.
"I'm very happy for Vini. Like any striker, he needs goals to regain inspiration," coach Alonso shared after the match.
Vinicius’ impressive form comes just as Real prepare for a crucial match against Juventus next Tuesday in Orlando, USA. With the possible return of Kylian Mbappe – who missed the entire group stage with acute gastroenteritis – Real have a striker pair that could change the course of the tournament.
Mbappe is back in training and is likely to feature, possibly from the bench, with great anticipation building between him and Vinicius, despite concerns that the pair occupy similar positions in attack.
Coach Alonso is optimistic: "They can coordinate together. Vini on the wing, Kylian inside... that's not mutually exclusive. They have outstanding individual quality, but the important thing is that the whole team works well."
Last season, former coach Ancelotti struggled to play Vinicius, Mbappe, Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo at the same time, causing an imbalance in the defense. To overcome that, Alonso required every player, including the attacking stars, to participate in defense.
"No one is allowed to stand outside the defensive task. All 11 people on the field must be ready to sacrifice," he affirmed.
Alonso was particularly complimentary of Vinicius' performance against Salzburg: "I'm pleased not only for the goal, but for the effort he put in. He ran tirelessly, always helped in defence, and connected well with the team. That's very important to me."
Amid ongoing contract talks – Vinicius is currently contracted until 2027 – the Brazilian has also expressed his long-term commitment to Real: "I have always said this is the club of my life. I am very happy with the coach and the whole team, and I hope I can stay here for many more years," Vinicius said.
Real Madrid will enter the match against Juventus with high spirits, and if they get through, they could face Borussia Dortmund or Monterrey in the quarter-finals. This is not only a test of the Royal team's strength but also the first test of the ability to coordinate between Vinicius and Mbappe under the hands of coach Alonso.
According to QUOC TIEP (according to AFP)/Nguoi Dua Tin
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