Will Mourinho give him a new chance?
Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior is taking heavy flak over his dip in form and his numbers for Los Blancos this season.
Renowned journalist Jesus Gallego, writing for the Spanish newspaper "AS", reckons Vinicius in the starting line-up is damaging Real Madrid's interests.
Gallego's article read in full as follows:
"Jose Mourinho says he would never deliberately harm the team for the sake of one particular player, and we have to believe him, but his decision to field Vinicius in Athens and to change the style of play the team had settled on in the matches against Barcelona and Santander almost caused a collective collapse. The idea of playing with three players in the front line, which has been tried hundreds of times with this group, returned to upset the team's balance, even making the modest AEK Athens look like one of the elite sides. And if you have finally arrived at the plan you spent three months searching for, why go back to the experiments again? There is only one answer: in order to field Vinicius without sacrificing Diomande."
"But however great the coach's desire to restore the Brazilian player's best levels, at present he deserves nothing more than a seat on the bench. The problem is no longer limited to his lack of attacking effectiveness; he is now showing a complete absence of confidence, along with a state of boredom and indifference towards the game, as if everything that is happening no longer means much to him. The time has come for Vinicius to sit on the bench, and to prove through training, and most importantly through the minutes he gets when he plays, that he wants to win back his place in the starting line-up."
"That will not be possible simply by making quick bursts, a few dribbles and scoring a goal; he will have to drop back for defensive support, help his teammates, and fight on the pitch in the way shown by the player who took his place, Diomande. And if he succeeds in that, we will then see how Mourinho handles his selection choices. But if he does not, he will have to wait until June, ready for a huge transfer move to a club that allows him to be a star and gives him the privileges he no longer enjoys here."