Real Madrid: Vinicius Junior looks ready to take a big step forward

Real Madrid defeated Deportivo Alaves 4-1 in their 2021-2022 LaLiga opener, as the team overcame a slow first-half start at 0-0 to eventually overwhelm the opposition at the Mendizorroza. Alaves are rarely easy opponents, but Real got the job done with the same emphatic scoreline as the last time they played the Basque underdogs.

Gareth Bale and Eden Hazard impressed in the attack, giving Madridistas hope that the experienced wingers can be positive contributors this season. Karim Benzema, of course, was brilliant as ever, scoring twice to remind fans why he is the favorite to win the Pichichi.

But Vinicius Junior‘s excellent performance off the bench should not get lost in the praise. Vini entered the match for Hazard as the first substitute of the night, and he rewarded Carlo Ancelotti immediately by making his trademark dangerous runs on the ball.

Full of energy and able to do things on the ball with his feet that so few on this planet can, Vini created two great scoring opportunities – one for himself and one for a teammate if someone were there in the six-yard box.

Vinicius Junior knows more is expected from him in his fourth season at Real Madrid

Although Vini did pass up an opportunity to curl one after working himself some space when cutting inside, he eventually got the goal he richly deserved, which put the game 100 percent to bed for Real Madrid at 4-1.

The goal was scrappy but well-taken, as Vini knocked a David Alaba cross home into the back of the net. Usually when Vini scores, it’s not quite as striker-like, so it was a huge positive to see the Brazilian score in a straightforward fashion from a cross.

Now in his fourth season with Real Madrid, Vinicius Junior has more expectations on his plate, but the experience has very likely made him better at coping with pressure. After working with Zinedine Zidane for almost three years, Vini now has a new manager in Carlo Ancelotti.

The argument here isn’t necessarily that Ancelotti and Vinicius will work better together, but rather that having a different mentor figure can lead to new insights and additional progress that a fresh set of eyes is capable of providing. Vini is getting to work with his second world-class manager, which means he has a second fountain of knowledge to drink from.

Additionally, Vinicius could have more grace with a healthy Eden Hazard taking on the responsibility on the left-hand side and Bale back to absorb most of the media’s darts from the right. Vini now has more space on the pitch physically, and perhaps more space mentally. And that potential positive cannot be underestimated.

Vinicius Junior dazzled the Mendizorroza for about a half-hour on Saturday night, making his mark in the LaLiga opener with a goal and his usual arduous work with the ball at his feet. Real Madrid fans have often been critical of the young winger, but even his harshest critics know that he can be a real asset to this team in 2021-2022. He looks poised to take a much bigger step forward this season than in years past, as he aims to put it all together in his fourth year.