Overall, he scored five goals in the Champions League even more often than in the league (four). Will he be allowed to play against Liverpool from the start or will he have to give way to the robust midfielder Federico Valverde? “I still have to make the official decision“says Ancelotti. “Unofficially, everything is already clear to me.”
Vinícius and Rodrygo each cost 45 million euros. In order to take them off the market early, they signed Real well before they came of age and then left them with their youth clubs Flamengo and Santos for the time being. Your transfers meant an experiment, a change of strategy.
In the hearts of the fans – and back on the bench
It was risky, and there have been many moments of doubt since then. Vinicius’ four years in particular are like a constant roller coaster ride. With his fast-paced, emotional, and at times provocative style of play, he was immediately well received by the audience in Madrid.
In the chaotic post-Ronaldo season, he was Real’s most dangerous weapon with his dribbles under coach Santiago Solari. But the soon-to-be-returned Zinedine Zidane trusted him half-heartedly at best: Vinicius seemed too faulty in passing and scoring.
At the low point in Mönchengladbach
He seemed at rock bottom last season when cameras caught Benzema telling Real left-back Mendy not to give the ball to Vinicius during the Champions League group stage match in Mönchengladbach (“He’s playing against us“). Everyone seemed to have lost faith in him – except himself.
With a gala in the 2021 Champions League quarter-finals just against Liverpool, he sent a sign of life again, and this season Ancelotti’s support took away his last fears of failure. “It can go on like this for a long time” says Vinicius.
