This Saturday, Vinicius turned 25 amid a sea of doubts due to his slump in form, his poor understanding with Mbappé, which was evident against PSG, and his renewal, which has been agreed but not signed. After Real Madrid’s debacle against PSG, which saw him dropped from the Club World Cup, Xabi Alonso said that he was “leaving with certainties.” One of those certainties could be that something is wrong with the Brazilian and that if a solution is not found, the only way for the player to contribute to the team may be to sit on the bench.
A highly questioned Vinicius
Something is wrong with Vinicius, and that is a reality. This season, the player has not been the same one who almost won the Ballon d’Or.
His attitude and behavior have left much to be desired, and this was once again evident in the Club World Cup. The arrival of Xabi Alonso and his style of play should have benefited the Brazilian, but the truth is that he has gone through the tournament without distinction, with only one game, against Salzburg, in which he performed well. Against PSG, he contributed very little. He lacked threat and failed to create danger in the opponent’s area.
He has been unrecognizable for months, and what has been most surprising during the tournament is that Xabi Alonso has not given him a wake-up call by substituting him. During the tournament, a couple of videos have gone viral, reflecting his lack of commitment and a certain laziness, such as in an attack where Bellingham drives the ball forward and the Brazilian walks along watching the play instead of running into space, something the Englishman would reproach him for.
A renewal in the air
Vinicius is clear about where he wants his future to be, and that is at Real Madrid, who are not so clear about wanting to meet the Brazilian’s demands when it comes to signing a renewal, for which there have been contacts but no definitive agreement. “Yes, I have two years left on my contract… until 2027. I have always said that I have to stay here for my entire career and make a great history with this team.”
The differences arise because the Brazilian has put a series of demands on the table that Real Madrid is not willing to meet. In addition to being the highest-paid player on the squad, earning around €30 million, Vinicius is asking for something that no player at the club has ever asked for before, and he does not seem willing to back down now, which is to pay a signing bonus for the renewal, something that Florentino Pérez is not considering. The club is willing to finalize the renewal, despite his performance, but under its conditions.
The partnership with Mbappé is not working
Throughout the season, there were questions about Vinicius and Mbappé not playing well together and getting in each other’s way. Although the Brazilian is one of the Frenchman’s top assist providers, the truth is that in the final stretch of the competition, the Real Madrid number nine produced his best form without the Brazilian on the pitch, winning the Pichichi and the Golden Boot.
The match against PSG was the first game of the World Cup in which both were in Xabi Alonso’s starting lineup. The performance of the attacking duo was well below what was expected and needed. Neither of them seemed to follow the coach’s instructions, as they did not press, they were slow in defensive transitions, they were far from the line of creation… in short, they played very much on their own. An anarchic attitude in which individual brilliance prevailed over the benefit of the group.