Vinícius Júnior is too good for the Real Madrid Castilla team
By Ben Sundock
Young Brazilian winger Vinícius Júnior had another phenomenal performance with the Real Madrid Castilla team over the weekend, proving to everyone in Spain that he deserves first-team playing time.
Dribbling with Cristiano Ronaldo like precision, passing with the composure of Toni Kroos, and even bending a free-kick into the bottom corner like we have seen so many Real Madrid greats do, Vinícius Júnior had a match for the Castilla team that cannot be overlooked.
Since the conclusion of the preseason, the 18-year-old has been training with Julen Lopetegui and his first team, but has been playing exclusively for Real Madrid legend Santiago Solari and the youth team.
Based off of the way he played for the entire match against Unionistas, there is little reason for a player like Vinícius to be playing with the lower side even though he is still a teenager.
The threat he provides down one side of the formation is simply uncoachable. While there are times that Júnior over dribbles or tries to do too much by himself, it is clear that president Florentino Perez has found a soon to be world superstar.
Although I say that he deserves first-team minutes in the very near future, I don’t mean he should be a regular starter, yet. Marco Asensio is off to a hot start this season and has earned his team three penalty kicks already.
If Asensio is not the first choice for Lopetegui and his staff, Isco is looked upon as the next best option. I think both Marco and Isco are incredible players who have earned the right to play in nearly every match, but there is still a place for this pacey Brazilian.
He could be used similarly to the way in which Zinedine Zidane used Álvaro Morata in the La Liga winning season back in 2016/2017. If Real Madrid gets down a goal or needs to push for the three points in a close match, the ability of Vinícius could be perfect.
A young player who is desperate to make a name for himself at a big club like this will be hungry any time his name is called upon. So, if the two Spaniards are tired, Julen should look to the kid from Flamengo to provide a spark.
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There is plenty of time with Vinícius Júnior. As I said, he is still just a teenager and is in Madrid for the foreseeable future. Wouldn’t it be better for him to cut his teeth in the top division and learn the way Spanish football is played?
This may lead to some unwanted results for Los Blancos, but in the long run, this experience will be invaluable.
We as fans all saw what he is capable of against Juventus in Washington D.C. back in early August. Against one of the best teams in Europe, the crafty kid set up Marco Asensio on a beautiful pass and wreaked havoc on the veterans of the Juve backline.
This kid is special, there is no doubt at all. He deserves to be included in the La Liga squads and possibly some Champions League group stage matches in the next couple of weeks.