Vinicius benefiting from Hazard's injury, Madrid could too in the long run

When Eden Hazard broke down again, Madridismo – the club, the fans, everything that surrounds it – groaned.

But the winger's latest injury issue was good news for one man.

While he would never wish ill on a team-mate, Vinicius Junior became the main beneficiary of the Belgian's bad luck.

Zinedine Zidane started the forward in the Champions League last-16 first leg against Manchester City and then the Clasico battle with Barcelona.

Vinicius had not started a league match since December last year and only six all season, despite Hazard's previous injury problems.

This time, though, with Rodrygo Goes suspended, Zidane turned to Vinicius in his hour of need, offering the winger one more chance. And he took it.

Vinicus's burst forward created Isco's goal in Madrid's 2-1 defeat by Man City, and then he opened the scoring in the 2-0 Clasico win that put them top of La Liga by a point.

Zidane has always been measured in his praised for the mercurial forward, but he could not help himself after the top-of-the-table clash in the capital.

"I am so glad for Vinicius to get his goal," explained the coach. "He has worked hard to get back into the team in recent weeks, and deserved the goal. To score such an important goal against a rival is fantastic for him."

The Frenchman was not the only one impressed. Up in a box at the Bernabeu, Real Madrid's all-time top goalscorer Cristiano Ronaldo watched on.

When Vinicius broke the deadlock he offered a round of applause. The oft-sullen Portuguese forward doesn't need to worry about anyone coming for his legacy yet, even though Vinicius imitated Ronaldo's iconic 'Suuuuiii!' celebration.

Ronaldo can rest easy for now because Vinicius, at 19 years old, is still erratic, inconsistent. He is a ball of energy but doesn't know how best to utilise himself, frequently thrilling and then disappointing in the same move, with his end product lacking.

Often, he finds brilliant positions on the pitch, leaving defenders running through treacle in his wake, but woefully shanks his shot or finds an opponent with his cut-back.

Ironically, his indecision and inaccuracy in the crucial moment contributed to his goal, with Barcelona centre-back Gerard Pique standing off him, allowing Vinicius time to think instead of forcing his hand. That strategy usually works out well for the defending team where Vinicius is concerned.

The youngster, who overtook Lionel Messi as the Clasico's youngest goalscorer in the 21st century, by 26 days, still needs a lot of direction.

Quite literally, with midfielder Toni Kroos frantically pointing out where he should run in the build-up to the goal. Once Vinicius made his move, Kroos released a perfect pass to set him up.

It should not be forgotten that while Madrid were silently drowning last season, Vinicius was the hand above the surface, the signs of life, the last gasp of air in their lungs.

He offers skill, speed, flair and spark for a Madrid side which has lacked it this season, and, in truth, since Ronaldo left. Karim Benzema cannot do it all, especially now he has just two goals in 14 games.

"[Vinicius] permanently creates chances and that's not easy at all,” said Real Madrid figurehead Butragueno. "Hopefully, this is a liberation for him."

This season, Vinicius has been weighed down at times, perhaps in conjunction with the 'conscious competence' learning model.

If last season his unconscious incompetence allowed him to attack with abandon, now it seems like he knows where he is going wrong – conscious incompetence – and at times it's holding him back.

After he scored in September 2019 against Osasuna, his first goal since February that year, he cried tears of joy. This was his first league goal since then and it came after instruction from his compatriot Casemiro.

"I told him at half-time that he had to go for goal more," the defensive midfielder told Real Madrid TV. "Many times, when it's 50-50, he looks for Karim. If Karim is in a better position, of course he should pass.

"But if it's 50-50 he has to go for goal. After the goal, he told me that he had Casemiro in his said saying 'Shoot! Shoot!'"

Vinicius's strike, backed up by Mariano Diaz's at the death, earned Madrid their first home league win over Barcelona for 1,954 days – five long years.

The goal is, of course, for Vinicius to reach unconscious competence, stage four of the model, when his magic touch combines with perfect decision-making and consistency, making it all automatic.

That may be a year away, or two, or more, but Vinicius has put himself on the right path. That can only be good news for Madrid, who were banking on the Flamengo academy graduate becoming a fixture in their starting line-up for the next decade when they signed him as a 16-year-old.

"It's a matter of letting him play," Cacau, the director of Flamengo's youth football school, told AS. "With minutes, players gain confidence and the goals come naturally.

"If he had confidence without playing, I'm sure that with continuity he will score lots of goals."

Hazard was signed for the present; Vinicius for the future.

However, with the former out for at least two months after his operation in Dallas and Madrid locked in an intriguing title race that is likely to go to the wire, Vinicius is needed right now.

On the evidence of the past couple of games, he won't disappoint.