Vinicius Junior has one goal and three assists in Real Madrid’s opening fixtures under Jose Mourinho. On the eve of Tuesday’s trip to Elche, the coach was asked whether he was satisfied with the Brazil international.
“The best version is scoring. Obviously, assisting is important, very important to work for the team, the commitment, the solidarity, the collective work, the day-to-day effort, which is also important, and he does that very well. But there’s another Vinicius, the Vinicius who eliminated Benfica last season and who, in close matches, especially in the two knockout stage games, had one opportunity, one goal, and sealed the game,” Mourinho told reporters.
“He’s missing that top-level performance, but I’m happy with him.”
Inter beaten, but the Bernabeu wants more
Real Madrid opened Mourinho’s second European campaign at the club with a 2-1 win over his former side Inter Milan at the Santiago Bernabeu on 8 September. Kylian Mbappe struck in the 14th minute and Federico Valverde doubled the lead in the 23rd, before Carlos Augusto pulled one back for Cristian Chivu’s side in the 77th. Real Madrid held on to take the three points.
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It was the club’s first meeting with Inter since Mourinho lifted the Champions League with the Italians at the same stadium in 2010, the last European Cup either he or the Nerazzurri have won.
Florentino Perez brought the Portuguese coach back on 11 June on a three-year contract, tasked with ending two seasons without a major trophy and a run of early European exits.
Bellingham back in the mix
The picture around Jude Bellingham has changed in a fortnight. The England midfielder started against Inter, missing a first-half chance saved by Josep Martinez, and set up the stoppage-time Real Madrid winner at Elche on Tuesday. Carlos Espi finished off a move involving Bellingham and Mbappe as Real Madrid escaped with a 3-2 win after squandering a two-goal lead.
Mbappe now has seven goals in six La Liga matches. He and Bellingham, not Vinicius, have carried the early attacking numbers.
The €125m summer signing from RB Leipzig, 19-year-old Yan Diomande, has yet to force his way in. Mourinho has publicly asked for patience with the Ivory Coast winger, who signed a seven-year deal after Real Madrid outbid Paris Saint-Germain.
Sunday at the Metropolitano
Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid host Real Madrid on Sunday. Simeone, whose contract runs to 2027, has taken 13 points from six rounds; Real Madrid have taken 15.
For Mourinho it is a specific return. It will be his first Madrid derby since he left Real Madrid in 2013, and his first as a visiting manager at the Metropolitano, which was built after his initial spell at the club.
Kick-off at the Metropolitano is at 4.15pm local time on 20 September.
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