MADRID, Sept 21 — Vinicius Jr expressed visible frustration after being substituted in the 77th minute of Real Madrid’s 2-0 victory over Espanyol yesterday, as the Brazilian winger has yet to play a full 90 minutes in any competition this season.
MADRID, Sept 21 — Vinicius Jr expressed visible frustration after being substituted in the 77th minute of Real Madrid’s 2-0 victory over Espanyol yesterday, as the Brazilian winger has yet to play a full 90 minutes in any competition this season.
Since Xabi Alonso took over as manager in June following Carlo Ancelotti’s departure, Vinicius has seen his playing time reduced despite previously being one of Real Madrid’s standout performers. The 25-year-old, who scored in Real’s Champions League finals in 2022 and 2024, has completed the full match in only one of the 12 games managed by Alonso this season. He has been substituted in 10 matches and started on the bench for the other two, including the Champions League opener against Olympique de Marseille earlier this week.
Against Espanyol, Vinicius was a constant attacking threat down the left flank, combining effectively with left-back Alvaro Carreras and linking well with Mbappe. He provided the assist for Mbappe’s goal and narrowly missed with a close-range shot that hit the post.
Despite one of his strongest performances of the season, Alonso opted to substitute him, acknowledging the Brazilian’s frustration but defending his rotation strategy.
“The only thing missing for him today was a goal,” Alonso said at a press conference. “I substituted him when he was at his best. Perhaps I could have waited a bit longer, but I wanted fresh legs on the wing. The same happened with Franco Mastantuono—they were upset, but we needed to maintain control and introduce fresh energy. It happens to everyone. I’m happy with both Vini and Mastantuono’s performances.”
Alonso emphasized that his priority is winning matches, not keeping players content. “We are fortunate to have many options in our squad. My job is to make decisions—when I make the right ones, the team does better. It’s a long season, and we need to utilize all our resources,” he added. — Reuters
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