Vinicius, inexplicable substitution

A few meters from the Di Stéfano authorities box, while Hazard approached at halftime to greet Florentino on another day to be forgotten by the new injury of the Belgian, Vinicius went from the bench to the dressing room resigned. His position in Madrid is not easy: behind the most expensive signing in the history of the entity, his greatest hopes of ownership lie in the absences of Eden. When the door of eleven is therefore opened to him, all his efforts are focused on preventing it from being closed again. In one of those, in June against Valencia, Zidane changed the scheme and moved Hazard to be able to mix them …

… But that was far from the norm when Eden has been available. Furthermore, Vinicius has also found it difficult to enter without him: after confinement he was only his substitute three out of six opportunities. And in Madrid they do not finish explaining this management of the coach. He did not like that the Brazilian or warmed up in Manchester, when the team needed a spark to catch him in the tie, and the previous details are not understood during the summer either. To them we must now add their substitutions against Betis, against which he was not included in the substitutions, and Valladolid. The Frenchman's slate collides at that point with the sports management plan, which projects the bands for Hazard and Asensio and, without them for medical reasons, rotation and even performance, for Vinicius and a Rodrygo title on the first day and then erased from the map.

Vinicius, Madrid's only attacker with a goal at this start

This Wednesday Vini had to wait for his turn 57 minutes. Very few later, in 65 ', he had already made his mark with a goal that would be worth the victory. The goal had some vindication in a footballer who admires a Zidane visibly uncomfortable with his case. In the previous one, asked about the lack of continuity of him and Rodrygo, he was upset. Asked if he understood that a promotion is requested in the role of the former Flamengo, also: “All the players want to play more and Vini is here to try to play every game. I'm happy with him, what he has to do is focus and that's it. “

For now Vinicius (122 minutes) is the only attacker in the squad who has scored, with Valverde and Ramos as the other scorers (the remaining target corresponds to Emerson, at own goal). With its natural verticality, an almost extinct characteristic in this Madrid, the carioca has also evidenced a certain maturity in decision-making. However, he still has some way to go, as he made clear when he smashed a spectacular gallop on the last play of the game with a very faulty mince. On Sunday, against Levante, again with Hazard in the infirmary (he has a difficult time reaching the Clásico on 25-O) and driven by his decisive goal against Valladolid, he could have another opportunity to perfect himself. But that depends on Zidane, always inscrutable.