The Spanish giants began their group stage campaign with a tense 2-1 victory over French side Marseille at the Bernabeu on Tuesday night. ..Continue Reading
Alonso opted to go with Franco Mastantuono, Arda Guler, and Rodrygo in attack, while star forward Kylian Mbappe once again led the line for Madrid.
Vinicius, who had started in the 2-1 La Liga win over Real Sociedad just days earlier, was demoted to the bench.
Madrid didn’t get off to the best start, as Trent Alexander-Arnold had to leave the pitch injured just three minutes in. He was replaced by club captain Dani Carvajal.
Marseille capitalised and took a surprise lead through Timothy Weah. However, Madrid equalised when Rodrygo – starting in Vinicius’ place – was fouled in the box, allowing Mbappe to convert from the penalty spot.
The drama continued as Carvajal was shown a red card for a headbutt with 20 minutes left on the clock. Despite being down to 10 men, Madrid managed to clinch the win with a second – and controversial – penalty from Mbappe.
Vinicius was subbed on midway through the second half, with the score level at 1-1, and came close to grabbing the winner before Mbappe eventually sealed the win.
On Wednesday morning, the Brazilian winger posted a mysterious message to his Instagram story, following his unexpected omission.
He shared a black-and-white photo of himself walking off the pitch shirtless, accompanied by the track Principles of a Champion.
It’s unclear whether the post was aimed at the fans, the coaching staff, or simply reflective of his own feelings. Still, it has raised fresh questions about Vinicius’ future at the club, especially amid ongoing transfer speculation.
Earlier this summer, talkSPORT reported that officials from Saudi Arabia were contemplating a record-breaking bid for the Ballon d’Or runner-up.
The reported deal would have shattered Neymar’s 2017 transfer fee, with an offer around €350 million [£304m], and a proposed five-year contract worth approximately €1 billion [£867m] including bonuses.
Though Vinicius remains under contract with Real Madrid until 2027, his rocky start to the season and social media activity have reignited rumors of a potential move.
After the Marseille win, Alonso downplayed the decision to bench Vinicius, offering no indication of tension between the two.
“We need Vini, Rodrygo, Franco, Brahim [Diaz],” Alonso said. “If there are private conversations, they stay at Valdebebas [Madrid’s training ground] or in the dressing room.
“There will be moments for everyone [to play]. Nobody should feel offended if they don’t play a game, the calendar is very demanding.”
Vinicius Jr could make his return to the starting line-up when Madrid face Espanyol in La Liga on Saturday.
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