Marcel Desailly, the France defender who won the 1998 World Cup, used a beIN Sports appearance to say Real Madrid should move Vinicius Jr on and build their attack around Kylian Mbappe. The former Milan and Chelsea defender argued the pairing of the two forwards has quietly failed and that Vinicius would be better served by starting again elsewhere.
“I think Real Madrid should have let Vinicius leave. They need to look for other players,” Desailly said, in comments carried by Yahoo Sports on 15 October.
“Once again, we are talking about the partnership between Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius. This partnership has not proven successful.”
“I think it would be better for him to leave, and let’s see whether he would be able to erase all the negative thoughts and opinions directed towards him.”
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A week Vinicius will want to forget
The timing sharpened the argument. Vinicius was handed a four-match La Liga suspension after his red card against Villarreal, when VAR spotted him pulling Nathan Saliba’s hair in the build-up to a disallowed goal. The ban rules him out of the visit to Sevilla on 18 October, El Clasico against Barcelona on 25 October, Racing de Santander on 1 November and Valencia on 7 November. Real Madrid are appealing.
On the same evening the ban was confirmed, Mourinho took him off at the Stadio Olimpico. Trailing Roma 3-1 after Vinicius lost possession for the hosts’ third goal, the manager withdrew him in the 59th minute and sent on Endrick, who later picked up the UEFA Player of the Match award. Carlos Espi, Endrick and Antonio Rudiger scored as Real Madrid won 4-3.
Cameras caught Vinicius visibly annoyed as he came off. Sections of the travelling support whistled him. He has also been jeered by home crowds at the Bernabéu in recent weeks, with his drawn-out summer contract talks still colouring the mood on the terraces.
Vinicius’s own response
By full-time in Rome, the 26-year-old had softened his reaction.
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“Mourinho and I have a very good relationship. He tells me things clearly. Of course, I was a little upset today when I came off, but that’s normal. In the end, he was right; the team improved, and that’s the most important thing,” Vinicius said.
“I’m aware of my form and how I’m playing. I’m here to help the team, and sometimes I need to come off so other players can play and change the dynamics.”
On the whistles, he was equally direct.
“The booing certainly doesn’t help me, but the fans pay for their tickets and they can say whatever they want. I’d rather they boo me than one of our young players.”
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Away from the pitch, Virginia Fonseca’s press office confirmed to CNN Brasil on 11 October that the couple’s relationship was over for a second time, less than a month after they had exchanged commitment rings.
“Virginia Fonseca and Vini Jr. are no longer together. There was no conflict, no fight, just the mutual understanding that they will no longer continue as a couple,” the statement said.
The sell argument, and what Madrid still think
Desailly’s view is the loudest external call so far to break up the Mbappe-Vinicius front line, and it comes with a defence of Mbappe attached: in earlier remarks the same week, Desailly urged Mourinho to build his tactical system around the France forward. The implication is that the squad can only accommodate one of them as its reference point, and that it is Vinicius who should give way.
Real Madrid’s position has not changed. Vinicius signed a long-term contract renewal in the summer, and the club have given no public indication that his future is in question. He next becomes available for selection in Real Madrid’s Champions League home match against RB Leipzig on 21 October.
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