Vinicius will be suspended one match for five yellow; He will train with Pintus

The Brazilian, who will not be going to Mestalla, is following a plan under the guidance of Pintus to arrive at Da Luz in top form. Two weeks to further improve his physical condition.

The schedule and current circumstances have given Vinicius a two-week window to reach peak form, and he intends to take advantage of it. With the Champions League, that unexpected playoff, firmly in his sights. The Brazilian will not be at Mestalla this Sunday (9:00 p.m.) due to the yellow card he received against Rayo, so he will not face the rigors of competition again until February 14 against Real Sociedad. He will use this time to visit Pintus' workshop. A physical tune-up, raising his tone, with the return to Da Luz (February 17) as the place where Vini is expected to be in explosive mode.

It was precisely that defeat against Benfica that condemned Arbeloa's team and marked a notable step backwards for the Real Madrid number 7. The player who had come off the back of dominating Monaco and maintaining his remarkable form at La Cerámica sank in Lisbon. Rayo provided a rebound, with his great goal as the best example, but that individual collapse by Vinicius (and extended to most of his teammates) raises doubts. Vini wants to erase it, with Pintus at the helm. Like the rest of the team, this week the Italian guru took his measurements at Valdebebas with the famous masks that measure the player's respiratory capacity. The first session of the week, last Wednesday, after the two days off granted by Arbeloa to the group, was already individualized for Vinicius.

Confirming and boosting that new wave of happiness and energy that Vini has shown since the change of coach. That is the goal. Against Monaco, he created the most scoring chances (including assists to teammates) this season, with seven, and the four against Levante are also in his personal top three in that category. In other words, what he tries to do, which is usually to break down the opposition, is now working consistently well for him.

It is also a small break, albeit a forced one. Vini only rotated on December 17 in the cup debut in Talavera (although he traveled) and the last time he entered the field from the bench was on November 23, at the Martínez Valero (33 minutes). It was all with Xabi, where the tug-of-war came precisely because of the changes... Now it's a different story. Since the arrival of Arbeloa, there has been no respite. Six full games. This reflects the utmost importance that the new coach attaches to the presence of number 7 on the field.

Sealing the definitive peace with the Bernabéu

The backdrop to this physical improvement plan is also to finish healing Vinicius' relationship with the Bernabéu. He has two opportunities ahead of him to show the side of himself that Madrid fans love. The match against Real Sociedad as a ‘trial run’ for Lisbon and the return leg against Benfica (February 25). “Vini needs the Bernabéu to be at his best,” Arbeloa insisted two weeks ago. Madrid also needs him for what is to come, especially in the Champions League.