Real Madrid's Vinicius needs the treatment Raúl got - Valdano
Speaking on Spanish radio, former Real Madrid boss Jorge Valdano has looked back on Wednesday's Clásico defeat to Barcelona.
Ex-Real Madrid coach Jorge Valdano has offered his thoughts on Los Blancos' Copa del Rey exit to Barcelona, telling Spanish radio that the club must put Vinicius through the same training regime that an emerging Raúl Gónzalez Blanco was subjected to when Valdano was in charge at the LaLiga giants in the 1990s.
Real Madrid must get Vinicius working hard on finishing
"When Raúl was at the stage of his career that Vinicius finds himself at right now, we had him working like crazy, all day long, on improving his finishing," Valdano said on Onda Cero after a 3-0 second-leg defeat that saw Madrid - and particularly their Brazilian starlet - spurn numerous scoring chances. "The ability to find the net is of course something you can develop on the training ground, and Vinicius will do that and will improve. He just needs to learn to take his time and lift his head up."
Madrid badly missing Cristiano killer instinct
Valdano also said that, while Madrid could previously counter Lionel Messi's influence on Barça's forward line with that of Cristiano Ronaldo on their own, the Portuguese's departure has undone the balance between the arch rivals' attacks. "When they had a guy in their team who had such a knack for putting the ball away, Madrid were characterised by how clinical they were in front of goal," he said. "But he's no longer there. Barça have a superstar in their ranks and Madrid don't anymore; Cristiano leaving has had a crucial effect."
Valdano added that, although he feels Vinicius is a top talent, the 18-year-old is not yet ready to assume the same degree of responsibility that Cristiano did in his time at the Bernabéu. "Without Ronaldo, Madrid find it much harder to come through games that they don't deserve to win," the Argentine explained. "Madrid's problem is that when they reach the danger area, they're in the hands of a young lad who's very good, but who isn't yet the finished article."
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