What is going on with Vini Jr.?

The Real Madrid star has enjoyed many ups and downs at the Santiago Bernabeu ever since he joined the club in 2018. The young Brazilian star joined one of the most demanding football clubs in the world and has been able to stay afloat putting in some remarkable performances. Nevertheless, this 2023/24 season has been a bumpy ride for the young winger, what is going on with Vinícius Júnior?

Vini Jr. finished the 2022-23 season with remarkable numbers, scoring 23 goals and 21 assists in 55 games so far. Since he arrived in 2018, the Brazilian winger has earned his presence in the locker room making him a regular starter for 'Los Blancos', his 'samba' style was welcomed with open arms at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Upon arriving at Real Madrid, Vini told the local press: "I'm not a star. This locker room is full of champions and I'm just trying to learn from them."

Truth is, Vini Jr. is one of La Liga's top stars, yet he is one of the most targeted players in La Liga both inside and outside the pitch. The Spanish publication, Mundo Deportivo, reports on how the Brazilian is in the top 5 most fouled players in La Liga, alongside teammate Jude Bellingham. Both fans and rivals pick on him constantly through racial slurs and football banter.

This clearly has an impact on Vini Jr. and his performance. He has his head down in the trenches, constantly surrounded by conflict.

Real Madrid went off to Mestalla to face Valencia during the final stretch of the 2022/23 season. The game got extremely violent and intense. A confrontation between a couple of Valencia players alongside some home fans caused Vini Jr. to lose his composer, which earned him a red card.

There are many sides to the story but racial slurs were heard all around, and the referee, Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea, should have stopped the game.

"The championship that once belonged to Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Cristiano, and Messi, today belongs to the racists. A beautiful nation, which welcomed me and which I love but which accepted to export to the world the image of a racist country. I am sorry for those Spaniards who disagree, but today, in Brazil, Spain is known as a country of racists," shared Vini Jr. on his social media back in 2023.

Spanish authorities jumped on the case and it's still an ongoing matter. According to the Spanish publication Marca, Vini Jr. testified to a Spanish court in October 2023 regarding the alleged abuse!

Vini Jr. has his head elsewhere and can't focus on his football. The 2023/24 season has caught him a little off-guard and Madridistas are starting to wonder what on earth is going on with Vini.

According to Transfermarkt.com, Vini has scored only 11 goals and 4 assists in 19 games so far this season. There is still plenty of time to rally those numbers, but the young Brazilian needs to dig deep and get his head in the game.

Nevertheless, Vini Jr. has had some very important performances so far this season. According to Marca, the Brazilian winger "taught the Barcelona squad a lesson", after his remarkable hat-trick performance during the Spanish Supercup (4-1)! It's clear to everyone he is a beast on the ball, but the real question is whether he can maintain his consistency throughout the season.

With the arrival of Jude Bellingham, Vini Jr. has lost the center stage. Bellingham has been sensational with 'Los Blancos', leading the team in goals.

Both Vini and Bellingham have shown great chemistry on the pitch and it's just a matter of getting back into the correct mindset. Mental health has a big impact on sports, especially when playing at the very top.

His manager at Real Madrid, Carlo Ancelotti, stated back in November during a press conference that Vinicius had "unfortunately become used to racism" while playing in Spain.

Following Vini Jr.'s great Spanish Supercup performance against FC Barcelona, the Brazilian winger struggled to maintain momentum during the Copa del Rey round of 16 match against Atletico de Madrid. The game was played at the Civitas Metropolitano stadium (home of Atletico de Madrid), and emotions ran high following their last derby.

Vini Jr. had a couple of moments of great football but Simeone's men knocked him out of the match mentally with constant stoppages and pitch arguments. According to the Spanish publication Depor, Vini Jr. confronted Rodrigo De Paul after an argument: "Look, I play in Real Madrid, and you?" to which De Paul responded with: "Oh great, I won the World Cup, have you?".

The Brazilian winger received a lot of criticism from both fans and media after his horrible defensive performance at the derby which resulted in Antonion Grizemans last minute goal, which cost Real Madrid the game.

Carlo Ancelotti has been under some pressure while trying to keep Vini Jr. under control. He is a very passionate player and he sometimes lets his emotions get the better of him. Furthermore, Brahim Diaz has performed well over the past months and is desperately asking for playing time.

During the Ballon d'Or ceremony, Vini Jr. was awarded the Socrates Award for his solidarity and his constant fight against poverty and racism. He has the caliber to be great, but he needs to remain stoic in his ways and settle the scores on the pitch. Vini will return to greatness.