Vinicius Shines in Real Madrid’s Clash with Barcelona

In their latest showdown with arch-rivals Barcelona, Real Madrid looked to Vinicius Junior for inspiration. French striker Kylian Mbappe returned to the squad under Xabi Alonso after an injury layoff, but was only fit enough to start from the bench.

With the iconic white jersey needing someone to deliver moments of brilliance in the final third, Vinicius did not disappoint. He scored a stunning solo goal during first-half stoppage time, demonstrating his skill as he picked up the ball wide on the left. Vinicius nutmegged Barcelona full-back Jules Kounde and surged beyond Pau Cubarsi. As he faced the goal, he unleashed an unstoppable strike past Joan Garcia into the bottom corner.

This goal leveled the match after Gonzalo Garcia had ensured they went into the break all square, following Robert Lewandowski’s earlier strike that had put Barcelona ahead. Raphinha, who initially broke the deadlock, later secured what turned out to be the winner in a thrilling 3-2 encounter with 17 minutes remaining.

While Vinicius ultimately had to settle for a runners-up medal, he once again proved to be a player for the big occasion. He has now matched legends like Ronaldo, Benzema, and Puskas by registering 16 goal contributions in final appearances for Real Madrid. Vinicius was the match-winner for Los Blancos in the 2021-22 Champions League final against Liverpool, marking a breakthrough season for the Brazilian forward, from which he has not looked back.

At just 25 years old, Vinicius has graced 15 significant events with Real, emulating the achievements of football greats at an impressive young age. His accolades include two Champions League titles, a Copa del Rey, three Spanish Super Cups, a UEFA Super Cup, two FIFA Club World Cups, and the Intercontinental Cup.

Before facing Barcelona in Saudi Arabia, Vinicius had endured a 16-game goal drought, the last of which dated back to a La Liga match against Villarreal on October 4, 2025. He made a stunning return to form with his recent goal.

Real Madrid’s head coach, Xabi Alonso, praised the Brazilian winger after the match, stating, “He had a great game; he was very dangerous. The goal was outstanding, and he created numerous problems down the left. The team worked hard, showed character, but it just didn’t happen tonight.”

There was some surprise when Vinicius was substituted in the closing stages while Real was still pushing for an equalizer. Alonso faced criticism for this decision but maintained that it was necessary due to Vinicius’s fatigue, exacerbated by the humid conditions. He explained, “Vinicius was excellent until the final stages. He asked to come off because of fatigue. He was a constant threat, and his goal was spectacular.”

With this latest performance, Vinicius has increased his total goals for Real Madrid to 112 in 350 appearances. He has scored over 20 goals in each of the last four seasons but has occasionally struggled to find his spark this term. Real Madrid will be hoping his best form is yet to come as they continue to pursue honors both domestically and internationally.

Vinicius dons the iconic No. 7 jersey, previously worn by Ronaldo, who scored an impressive 450 goals in 438 appearances, becoming Real’s all-time leading scorer.

Real Madrid will return to cup action on Wednesday when they face Albacete in the Round of 16 of the Copa del Rey, and they currently find themselves four points behind Barcelona in a fierce race for La Liga title glory.