Vinicius Jr has not yet played a full 90 minutes for Real Madrid this season under new manager Xabi Alonso, which has left him visibly frustrated and made headlines in the Spanish media, despite the team’s flawless start.
The 25-year-old Brazilian, known for scoring in the Champions League finals during Real’s victories in 2022 and 2024, has been substituted in 10 out of 12 matches since Alonso took over in June after Carlo Ancelotti’s departure.
He began on the bench in the other two games, including last week’s Champions League opener against Olympique de Marseille.
Saturday’s match against Espanyol underscored this perplexing situation.
Vinicius consistently threatened down the left side, assisting Mbappe’s goal and hitting the post from close range in one of his top performances this season – yet Alonso still substituted him, leaving the Brazilian visibly upset with his coach.
The statistics add to the controversy as, despite being the second most involved in goals for Real, Vinicius ranks only 10th in terms of minutes played.
When asked about his rotation strategy on Monday, Alonso remained diplomatically vague while acknowledging his star player’s dissatisfaction.
“I was a player myself, and I didn’t like being substituted either. I don’t see it as a big issue if players show frustration,” Alonso said during a brief press conference ahead of Tuesday’s LaLiga match against Levante.
“I’m pleased with Vinicius’s performance; it’s still early in the season. We need everyone, and I’m happy, but we can improve in the final third,” the manager added.
The tension hasn’t impacted Real Madrid’s performance as they lead the LaLiga standings with 15 points after five matches, two points ahead of champions Barcelona.
