The Brazilian did not understand his substitution against Espanyol, a match in which he once again showed a lackluster attack, even though he hit the post with a shot.
Vinícius Júnior has become a serious problem for Xabi Alonso. The Brazilian once again showed his distance from the coach and the club against Espanyol. And all this despite starting as a starter after coming on from the bench against Olympique de Marseille. The Brazilian once again showed a lackluster performance, not facing opponents as frequently as he usually did and showing his dissatisfaction with his body language when the play shifted to the right wing, where there was no clear winger because Mastantuono moved into the center, leaving the flank to Carvajal's forward runs, who was more focused on Puado than on attacking.
Vinícius' anger with Xabi over his substitution
Vinícius had a clear opportunity in the first half, in which he cut inside and shot over Dmitrovic's crossbar. In the second half, he provided the assist for Kylian Mbappé's second goal, a simple pass at the edge of the area that the Frenchman converted into a goal with a dry strike with three fingers. The Brazilian did not show himself to be especially effusive, unlike what he had done when his friend and teammate Militao scored the first white goal. Before being substituted, the carioca hit the post with a shot in the first connection between Arda Guler and Mbappé. His frustration, due to his secondary role with the Frenchman as the protagonist, soared with that shot that did not end up in the net. And shortly afterwards, the most critical moment occurred when the referee sent the players to the break for hydration.
Rodrygo and Brahim were waiting on the sidelines. The Bernabéu hoped Vinícius would stay on the field, but Xabi decided to substitute him with his compatriot. The Tolosa coach tried to explain the decision, approaching Vinícius and hugging him to explain the reasons. But the Brazilian, who was hoping to stay on the field in search of his goal, was not happy with the decision. He shrugged off the coach and walked off very upset to the white bench. It wasn't a volcanic reaction like those the former Flamengo player is known for, but his anger at being substituted was clear. Vinícius has not played the full 90 minutes in any of the five league matches that have been played. And he has gone from being a regular in the starting eleven under Ancelotti to being just another player in the team's rotation.
The problem is that Xabi's sports decisions weigh on the footballer's renewal process, which has halted negotiations with the Whites. Every minute that passes is to the detriment of Vinícius, who has lost relevance and weight in the squad. No matter how much Xabi always speaks well of his attitude, the reality is that Vinícius is very far from being the game-changer who led Real Madrid to win their last two Champions Leagues. And every gesture, every substitute appearance, every missed opportunity begins to count against the footballer in terms of his renewal with the Whites. In fact, from the player's entourage, there is talk of the possibility of being transferred or leaving on a free transfer in the summer of 2027, a scenario that Real Madrid does not contemplate.
His relationship with Xabi cools down
Xabi had confessed before the match against Espanyol that he had waited to talk to the player after his substitution in the Champions League debut against Olympique. The coach knows that he needs Vinícius to stabilize his team in this new stage, but the rotations are doing him a great deal of harm. The coach was asked about the Brazilian's anger in the press room and left the following reflection: "Today he was missing the goal. I thought bringing in fresh legs from the outside would be good. He and Franco were fine, but the game needed more control. Maybe I substituted him when he was doing well, maybe I substituted him a bit too early...". Xabi has made it clear that his priority is the growth of the group and, for the time being, he is not going to let an individual matter like Vinícius's derail the team's progress.
The Donostiarra continues to show patience with the ugly side of a Vinícius who still fails to be decisive on the pitch. In the dressing room, the Brazilian's discontent after his substitution has been discussed, and the coach is starting to run out of patience because he does not like having to give explanations at every press conference about his relationship with Vinícius, nor is he willing for any individual problem to affect the normal development of the team. And the data support the coach. Since Rodri lifted the Ballon d'Or, the Brazilian has played 49 matches. During this time, Vinícius has scored 16 goals and provided 13 assists. If compared with the 49 matches before the 2024 Ballon d'Or, the decline in the carioca's performance is evident, as in those 49 previous matches he scored 31 goals and provided 14 assists.