The Vinicius metamorphosis

It has become a familiar refrain to say Real Madrid’s forwards don’t work hard enough, that their lack of defensive effort lies at the root of the team’s problems. Sometimes that’s true, sometimes not. In Vallecas, for instance, Vinicius may not have been sharp in his dribbles or his finishing, but one thing cannot be said – that he didn’t work. He was the Madrid outfield player with the most ball recoveries (seven), topped only by Thibaut Courtois with ten, and ahead of Carreras (five), a specialist in that department.

Vinicius’s average this season stands at 2.4 recoveries per game; in Vallecas, he doubled that figure to set his personal best for the campaign – a mark he had already matched in the home match against Villarreal. In that sense, the Brazilian has clearly stepped up: in the first nine games, he averaged 1.6 per match, while in the last seven that number has risen to 3.4. Little by little, Xabi Alonso is turning Vinicius and Kylian Mbappé into Real Madrid’s first line of defense.

And he’s doing it with greater composure. In the fiery atmosphere of Vallecas, Vinicius stayed out of trouble and didn’t spark any tense moments. At one point, when a fan shouted, “You’re terrible!”, he took it in stride, walking away smiling and replying, “No, no, no.” Later, when he heard chants of “Vinicius, beach ball!”, his response was just as calm and understated: “You pay all year to watch me,” again with a grin. He handled it all with sportsmanship.

When it comes to clashes with rivals or complaints to referees, he seems to be calming down: after 12 league matches, he has only picked up two yellow cards. At this stage last season, he already had four and was one booking away from suspension. The outburst he had when substituted in El Clásico remains in people’s minds, but overall, he looks far more focused on his football and less distracted by outside noise. It’s the path the Brazilian needs to stay on.