Carlo Ancelotti, Real Madrid manager has updated Vinicius Jr.’s injury. On January 4, the winger pulled out of the warm-up for their match against Atletico Madrid.
On Sunday in La Liga, Los Blancos hosted Atletico at the Santiago Bernabeu. Vinicius was substituted during the warm-up despite having been listed in the starting lineup at first. The decision of who would start in his stead prior to Brahim Diaz being chosen over Joselu caused considerable consternation.
In the 20th minute, Diaz opened the score for his team as well. However, Marcos Llorente’s goal in the 93rd minute gave Atletico a 1-1 draw.
Ancelotti gave an update on Vinicius after the match, stating (via Managing Madrid):
“Brahim and Joselu were his only alternatives. He had a cervical contracture and attempted to warm up but wasn’t comfortable. But Brahim let us play the game that way, which meant we took a defensive stance. Joselu performed well when he entered the game later.
Vinicius, who joined Real Madrid from Flamengo in 2018, has been a vital member of the team lately, with 70 goals and 69 assists in 245 appearances.
The Brazilian winger, who previously had a thigh injury, has made 20 appearances this season in all competitions. In that time, he has contributed five assists and 11 goals.
Carlo Ancelotti considers the draw between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid
Due to injury, Real Madrid only had Nacho Fernandez as a recognized center back going into their matchup with Atletico Madrid. With 55% of the possession and 4 of their 17 shots on goal on goal, they were still generally in control of the game.
But in the last third, Los Blancos lost their composure and were unable to build on Brahim Diaz’s first goal from the 20th minute. Atletico ultimately paid a price for their wasted opportunities as Marcos Llorente scored a goal in stoppage time.
During the post-match news conference, Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti gave his evaluation of the contest, stating (via Managing Madrid):
“I thought we played a really good game; we had good control over the game, and it was unfortunate that we gave up in the final minute.” Although we were likely to struggle there due to our lack of height, we performed well. We can’t berate ourselves for anything since we earned the victory and have won several games in the closing seconds.
Since we are in a leadership position, we can influence the table on Saturday. We feel at ease, and the crew is excellent. We have a strong squad, we play excellent football, and everyone is fully dedicated to giving it their best. That is what gives me the greatest confidence for the future.”
Real Madrid is still leading La Liga with two points advantage over Girona in second place. Ten points behind Los Blancos in fourth place is Atletico.