Overview
- Multiple Spanish reports described Vinicius’s performance in the Madrid derby on Tuesday as catastrophic and said the result left the club reeling.
- The 26-year-old has managed one goal and three assists in eight competitive appearances this season, with several matches ending in early substitutions.
- Club leaders and coaching staff say they cannot identify a clear cause for the decline, leaving Real Madrid to treat the problem as an open question rather than a solved issue.
- Mourinho has publicly defended Vinicius and said he expects a recovery, but summer signing Yan Diomande and other attackers are pressing for the left‑wing starting spot.
- Vinicius’s summer transfer speculation and his contract renewal through 2032 are cited as possible off-field factors and the team will make a consequential selection decision when league play resumes in October.