Real Madrid will be looking to cause an upset and beat Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final on Saturday. Meanwhile, a non-sporting issue has once again crept into such a decisive moment of the season: the renewal of Vinicius Jr.’s contract with Real Madrid. The tug-of-war between the player and Florentino Pérez is ongoing. The two sides seem to be coming to an agreement, but the Brazilian wants to be the highest-paid player, and they don’t want to give it to him. That’s why the Copa del Rey final is a key moment for Vinicius to put pressure on Florentino Pérez.
A renewal that is dragging on
Since Vinicius received the famous offer from Saudi Arabia of $1 billion for five seasons, the Brazilian footballer’s renewal has been widely covered in the media in this country. Although the decision on his future will be resolved, in principle, this summer, those close to the footballer have continued to air the positions of both sides with the aim of getting the most out of the negotiations.
The offer from Arab football has prompted Vinicius to ask to become the highest-paid player at Real Madrid with a salary of around $30 million. But Florentino Pérez does not want to pay that, and is thought to be considering a figure closer to $20 million per season.
Although the Brazilian footballer’s departure seems unlikely—those close to him say that five years in Arab football is too long—nothing can be ruled out because no one has closed the door. But it seems that the renewal will happen sooner rather than later.
A final push to pressure Florentino Pérez
Real Madrid believe that Vinicius is not in a position to make demands given the poor season he is having. The player has been singled out as one of those responsible for the team’s poor performance. His lack of commitment in defense and teamwork has affected the team at many points during the season, and although at times he seemed to be starting to react, he continues to show a lack of collective effort. However, it is true that in recent games he has tried to carry the team on his shoulders. Against Athletic, he was the most active player on the team, and against Arsenal, despite things not going his way, he seemed to be the only one who could get something out of the game (he didn’t succeed).
For this reason, he knows that the final is one of the key moments to be in a position to demand the best conditions for a new contract. With the team going through such a difficult period, in which it is not the favorite to win the title, a brilliant performance that leads Real Madrid to lift the Cup could help him improve his position in negotiations with Florentino Pérez.
Vinicius has already starred in his years with Real Madrid in big games and against Barcelona. In this final, he wants to finally get back to his best and prove that he can continue to be Real Madrid’s leader, a position that has been threatened since the arrival of Mbappé.
Real Madrid needs to win the title, Vinicius knows it, and he wants to be the star of the Copa del Rey final. It could be the key to putting pressure on Florentino Pérez and bringing the negotiations back to his side, negotiations that have diverted attention from what is really important to the fans: sporting performance.