2. Vinicius Junior may start
Eden Hazard suffered a bruised ankle on Tuesday against PSG after absorbing a poor challenge from Thomas Meunier, who clipped the left winger when his foot was planted awkwardly. The Belgian will only miss a couple of weeks and should be ready for the pivotal clash against FC Barcelona on Dec. 18, but, until he returns, Vinicius Junior will have more chances to shine.
Vinicius hasn’t been a regular in the squad lately with Gareth Bale back from injury after the November international break, as he didn’t feature against either Real Sociedad or PSG.
However, Hazard’s injury puts Vinicius in pole position for a starting spot on Saturday, unless if Zinedine Zidane decides to swap Rodrygo over to the left flank again.
By and large, Vinicius has been Hazard’s top backup on the left and has acquitted himself well on the pitch. He’s been a super-sub for Real, but when he starts, he’s generally effective. Fans have been critical of Vinicius’ finishing, but they should spend more time praising his hard work in defense and on the ball. Real Madrid look more dangerous when Vinicius is charging forward.
This game against Alaves should be a great opportunity for Vinicius to remind La Liga fans of his prodigious talent.