Real Madrid: 5 takeaways from an eventful 3-3 draw with Levante

Vinicius Junior just might be putting it all together

We can’t praise Vinicius Junior enough for his performance against Levante on Sunday night, so let’s heap more praise onto the shoulders of this ultra-talented 21-year-old. Vini has held so much responsibility in the Madrid lineup that I wonder if some fans forget how young he is and how tough of a learning curve he faces. And it does not help that people disingenuously bring up his goals-to-games ratio when, like on Sunday night, he often plays off the bench.

Vini was excellent in the late stages of the 4-1 win over Deportivo Alaves, grabbing a goal to seal the deal for Real Madrid. And then he was even better at Levante, cooly using his left foot to beat Aitor Fernandez at the far post on a breakaway and then scoring an even better goal, curling the ball with his toe from a tough angle.

An electrifying player to watch, Vinicius has always been an X-Factor for Real. But Madridistas know he is capable of more and needs to provide more of a goal-scoring threat if he were to be a full-time starter on the left. Well, with a hat-trick haul of goals in less than an hour to start the season, Vini has certainly provided that threat.

What matters the most is that his two goals on Sunday were the result of a cool head and the maintenance of the finishing technique that we know Vini has. His issues were never technical, but rather a matter of needing experience. Perhaps this is the year where it all clicks for the Brazilian in front of goal. And that would have massive implications for Real’s Champions League hopes.