Real Madrid: Why Vinicius Junior is the key to winning LaLiga

The month of August has certainly been one of the craziest months in the last few years. We saw Gareth Bale trying to do what he used to in his prime at Real Madrid, Eden Hazard playing with improved fitness, and Isco Alarcon finding his motivation again.

But, what every Madridista admired the most was the way Vinicius Junior played. He has finally proved himself worthy of starting every game for the club with the talent that he has got.

What he was lacking last season was his finishing. Even after getting past all the defenders, he couldn’t convert those chances into goals. He was criticized a lot for missing such easy chances, but he was no one to give up.

But can he continue this form for the rest of the season? Or was it just a few great games for him like the ones against Liverpool last season? We don’t know what the future holds for him and all we can do is speculate at the moment. The performances tell us a lot about what we can and should expect from the youngster but it is just the start of the season and we cannot draw conclusions this early. What I know is that with the talent he has got, he can achieve heights of success with the club.

Real Madrid can be serious Champions League contenders if Vinicius Junior maintains this level

There is another question that will arise in your mind. How will he, if his form continues, be able to help Real Madrid? What we have seen is how effective he is as a substitute. With his ability to run past the defenders, he will be an absolute threat on the counter-attack for the opposition. The best way to play him, as Carlo Ancelotti also might have realized is to bring him on in the crucial moments to help Real snatch the victory.

The Brazilian has already helped Real Madrid earn a point against Levante, and can help in the future as well. The one point so far has Real at the top of the table. All I can say is that if he can play at this high level, Real Madrid will not only become the favorites to win the LaLiga, but also a serious contender to win the UEFA Champions League.

Why can I say this? If you remember, earlier this year Toni Kroos launched an amazing lofted ball towards him which helped us get an early lead against Liverpool. It was his two goals that helped us pressurize the Premier League side and stroll to victory. Also, in the match against Levante, the through ball by Carlos Casemiro helped him run past the defenders and score an equalizer.

But there is a problem too. Unlike the Premier League, in LaLiga the full-backs do not attack much. They try to stay in their position and with the pace they have got, it isn’t easy for a winger to attack. But Vinicius is different. He is an exception because of his ball-carrying ability. He can easily take the ball past anyone and that is what he needs to do for Real Madrid. Plus, the set-pieces are the only time when the defenders step up on the attack and thus is the best time to counter-attack. So, Vinicius is the player that can help Real Madrid the most in the counter-attack.

That’s not all. Karim Benzema is currently the most dangerous Real Madrid attacker. This always creates a sense of fear in the minds of the opposition’s defense. While trying their best to contain the Frenchman, they often leave some spaces in between. Vinicius can use those spaces to his advantage and create more chances. Also, if Vinicius can create a similar fear in the opposition’s mind, this would be a lot more useful for the club.

So, if I were to conclude, I can say is that we just need to pass him a timely accurate ball behind the defenders and he will do the rest. If Ancelotti can actually help Vinicius make the most of himself, it would be a lot more beneficial for Real Madrid than what we can think of.