The 2020-21 season is turning out to be an ordeal for Vinicius. The Brazilian has gone from being the Madridista's great hope to becoming a ‘problem’ for his team when he takes to the pitch. In fact, He has been a negative protagonist in Madrid's last two defeats: Alcoyano and Levante. If in the Cup match, which meant the elimination of Whites against the modest Segunda B team, he lost Solbes' marking in the play that ended at 1-1, this Saturday he committed the penalty that allowed Levante to start the comeback.
It is clear that Vinicius has lost his confidence in himself. That becomes clear when their actions on the field are analyzed. Against Levante his balance was negative in almost all sections. His only positive contribution were three inconsequential passes (two to Kroos and one to Mendy). In all other sections, the figures speak against the Brazilian striker: he committed two fouls and received one; he lost five balls and recovered one and tried a cross that was intercepted by Clerc. That was his poor contribution in the 30 minutes he was on the field.
Vinicius's Via Crucis this season began with the leak of a conversation between Benzema and Mendy, during the Champions League match against Borussia Mönchengladbach, in which they allegedly criticize him. “It doesn't do anything meaningful. “He does what he wants. Don't give it to him, brother. He plays against us,” the French forward commented to his compatriot. Both Benzema and his attack partner made an effort to remove iron from those words, but since then Vinicius has not raised his head. This season he has only scored three goals and has given three assists. Precisely, He achieved those three goals before Benzema's criticism of him was made public. The decline in his performance has also caused Zidane to count on him less and less. He is the eleventh player who has played the most minutes (1,156) this season, but in the six games that Madrid has played in 2021 he has only played 176 '.
The status within the club has also changed. If a year ago your departure was non-negotiable, now the Madrid leadership sees him as one of the players with whom to make money next summer to correct the decrease in income caused by the pandemic.