Real Madrid: Ranking the 10 best goals of the 2020/21 season

8 – When Vinicius stepped up on a big night against Liverpool

It was the night of Real Madrid’s Champions League quarter-final clash against Liverpool. The English side looked like the obvious favourites due to the obvious hype, while Sergio Ramos, Eden Hazard, and Raphael Varane’s absences for the first-leg at home, made Real’s case worse. Los Blancos needed a moment of inspiration to win that game, and an unlikely hero in Vinicius Jr stepped up that night.

In the 27th minute, Toni Kroos released Vinicius with a fantastic long ball from deep inside his own half, while the Brazilian complimented that pass with a pacy run from the halfway line, and got onto the end the pass thanks to his acceleration. Any usual Real Madrid fan would’ve expected the left-winger to mess it up, given his reputation. But Vini controlled the ball perfectly with his chest, which gave him the edge over his marker Nathaniel Phillips, and then went onto score with a low half-volley that went past a diving Alisson Becker.

Vini went onto score another goal that evening, and deservedly won the man of the match. Vinicius definitely deserves appreciation for this goal and his perfect performance on a big night. But Toni Kroos should be equally appreciated for that ecstatic assist. It was a perfect long ball from the German Sniper, which was perfect from every aspect like timing, swerve, power. And the best part of the pass was that Kroos perfectly calculated the distance of the pass that went over the head of Liverpool’s backline, given Vini’s pace.