Real Madrid

Real Madrid fans lose patience with Vinicius Jr

The Brazilian, with just three goals in his last 16 matches, was booed against Valencia and appears to have lost Ancelotti’s confidence.

The Brazilian, with just three goals in his last 16 matches, was booed against Valencia and appears to have lost Ancelotti’s confidence.
Juan Medina
Update:

Real Madrid suffered a defeat against Valencia at the Santiago Bernabéu that all but spelled the end of their La Liga hopes, with eight matches still remaining. A draw between Betis at Barça just hours later softened the blow slightly. But beyond the painful result, the match left some deep wounds for Madrid—coming at the worst possible time, with the Champions League quarterfinals just around the corner.

The first leg kicks off this Tuesday in London, against Arsenal. Yet no wound cut as deep as the one left by Vinicius Jr., who turned in an erratic, even disappointing performance—despite scoring—and was even whistled at by his own fans at times.

To be fair, it would be harsh to say Vinicius was completely poor. He did score the equaliser for Madrid, even if it ultimately counted for little after Hugo Duro’s goal sealed the 2–1 win for Valencia. That strike was also his 104th for the club, putting him level with Ronaldo Nazário—something he proudly celebrated on social media despite the defeat, much to the frustration of many Madrid fans. Still, in the context of the match, the goal felt like a drop in the ocean. Vinicius had a rough first half, one he’ll likely want to forget.

Vini Jr’s poor showing against Valencia

Before the break, he barely posed a threat. And when the chance did come, he fluffed it—missing a penalty that was better taken than usual, but still dealt with comfortably by Mamardashvili. Penalty-taking has been a lingering problem for Madrid all season, and manager Carlo Ancelotti finally seems to be losing patience. In the post-match press conference, he admitted he had picked Vinicius “to give him confidence,” but added bluntly that “he failed.” When asked whether Mbappé would take over penalty duties moving forward—given his superior conversion rate (seven goals from nine attempts)—Ancelotti simply replied, “We’ll see.”

The really strange part came later, when Vinicius was whistled—not overwhelmingly, but noticeably—after attempting a solo play following his missed penalty. The whistles came again, more faintly, during a couple other moments in the match. And then, when he was subbed off in the second half to make way for Endrick, they grew louder. The Real Madrid faithful—perhaps the most demanding crowd in football—made their displeasure known. The missed penalty likely played a big part, as did a growing sense that Ancelotti should hand spot-kick duties to Mbappé, the team’s leading scorer.

The whistles also seemed to reflect the fans’ frustration with Vinicius’s broader struggles. His match stats tell the story: four shots (all on target, but largely harmless besides the goal), just 41 touches compared to Mbappé’s 61, four attempted dribbles with zero success, one clear chance created, and minimal defensive contribution. On top of that, he’s only managed three goals in his last 16 appearances—a far cry from his best form.

Related stories

Ancelotti, however, downplayed the whistles during his post-match comments: “Vinicius is focused on what he’s doing. He can play well or badly, but he’s focused.” Still, the coach seems to sense something’s off. In recent high-stakes matches, he’s started to pull Vinicius from the spotlight. He didn’t let him take a penalty against Atleti in the Champions League, and again versus Valencia, when chasing a win, he turned to someone else.

Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.

Tagged in:

Comments
Rules

Complete your personal details to comment

Your opinion will be published with first and last names

We recommend these for you in Soccer