Vinicius Is Losing His Untouchable Status at Real Madrid

Vinicius No Longer Looks Untouchable Under Mourinho

Vinicius Junior is enduring a difficult start to the season at Real Madrid. The Brazilian remains a regular starter under José Mourinho, but the manager’s recent decisions suggest something is beginning to change: the winger has now been substituted in three consecutive matches, while Kylian Mbappé continues to establish himself as the team’s main attacking force.

Vinicius acknowledged his struggles after the match against Elche. “The goals will come back, I can’t miss this much...,” he wrote on social media. His numbers reflect those finishing problems: one goal and three assists so far this season, along with winning a penalty against Betis.

The situation once again puts the spotlight on one of Mourinho’s most delicate tasks since taking charge: managing the roles of Vinicius and Mbappé. The Portuguese coach began the season almost perfectly balancing their playing time, but their contrasting form is starting to disrupt that approach.

Three Straight Substitutions Change the Picture

Mourinho was particularly careful during the opening four matches. Vinicius and Mbappé both started against Espanyol, Real Sociedad, Málaga and Betis, with only six minutes separating their total playing time.

That has changed over the last three games. Vinicius was substituted against Inter in the 87th minute, Rayo Vallecano in the 89th and Elche in the 68th, with the latest change particularly significant because more than 20 minutes remained.

After seven matches, Mbappé has played 630 minutes and completed six full games, compared to 598 minutes and only three complete matches for Vinicius. The gap remains small, but the trend suggests the Brazilian is beginning to lose his virtually untouchable status.

Mbappé Is Flying While Vinicius Searches for Goals

Performance explains much of that shift. Mbappé has scored eight goals in seven matches and is enjoying a spectacular run, while Vinicius is still searching for the clinical edge that made him one of Madrid’s biggest stars.

With only one goal, the Brazilian currently ranks as the club’s fifth-highest scorer, behind Mbappé, Jude Bellingham, Arda Güler and Espí. The latter has even surpassed Vinicius’ scoring total despite playing just 26 minutes.

Meanwhile, Brahim Díaz, Espí and Diomande are all pushing for more opportunities, giving Mourinho additional attacking options. The manager is no longer simply balancing his two superstars — he also has other players demanding minutes.

A Familiar Problem for Real Madrid

The situation is still far from becoming a crisis. In fact, Vinicius has played considerably more at this stage than he had last season, when he had already started twice on the bench, completed only one full match and played 159 fewer minutes.

However, a curious trend involving Vinicius and Mbappé is resurfacing. Since the Frenchman arrived at Madrid, the two stars have rarely hit peak form at exactly the same time.

Last season, Mbappé reached the end of the year with 29 goals while Vinicius struggled for consistency. Later, under Álvaro Arbeloa, the Brazilian responded with 16 goals while a knee injury slowed Mbappé down.

Now it is Mbappé setting the pace once again. Vinicius remains an important player and continues to start, but three consecutive substitutions offer a warning: with the Frenchman flying and competition for places increasing, his untouchable status is beginning to come under pressure.

Key Takeaways

• Vinicius has been substituted in Real Madrid’s last three matches.
• Mbappé has eight goals in seven games and has completed six full matches.
• Vinicius has recorded one goal and three assists so far this season.
• Mourinho initially balanced the playing time of his two stars almost perfectly, but that balance is beginning to shift.

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