Vinícius Júnior‘s return to La Liga action after a suspension was marked not by brilliance but by frustration. While he scored a goal against Espanyol, it was disallowed due to a prior foul by Kylian Mbappé, sparking protests from Vinícius and the entire Real Madrid team. However, the source of Vinícius’s most significant frustration wasn’t the referee’s decision but rather a teammate.
The match against Espanyol marked Vinícius Júnior’s return after a suspension stemming from his red card against Valencia on January 3rd. Despite scoring a goal, his celebration was short-lived as the referee disallowed it due to a foul committed by Mbappé in the build-up.
This controversial decision fueled protests from both Vinícius and his Real Madrid teammates. While the referee’s decision is likely to be debated for some time, the frustration didn’t end there for Vinícius.
Broadcaster Movistar Plus captured footage of Vinícius expressing his displeasure to manager Carlo Ancelotti regarding Dani Ceballos’s lack of passes to the wing. According to Mundo Deportivo, Vinícius openly complained to Ancelotti about Ceballos’s reluctance to send the ball to the left flank. This indicates a communication problem between players and might cause concern for the manager.
Ancelotti’s intervention
Ancelotti, seemingly aware of the situation, directly instructed Ceballos to play more on the left wing, an instruction that was slow to be followed. This delay only exacerbated Vinícius’s frustration, leading to further complaints from the Brazilian winger even after Ceballos eventually began passing to the left side. This shows the intensity of the situation and that even the manager had to intervene to solve the problem.
Vinícius Júnior’s frustration wasn’t limited to Ceballos; he also clashed with Fran García. The tension became so noticeable that Lucas Vázquez had to intervene, initially to call Vinícius out and, subsequently, to attempt to calm him down. The situation showcases a clear communication issue amongst some of the team players.
The events of the match highlight several underlying issues within Real Madrid. Firstly, the disallowed goal and the subsequent protests underscore the intense pressure the team faces.
Secondly, the visible frustrations between Vinícius Júnior and his teammates point to potential communication problems that need to be addressed. These on-field displays of tension need to be corrected by the manager, otherwise, it could affect the performance of the team in the future.
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