Vinícius Júnior ‘close to’ personal best in victory over Atlético Madrid
Alvaro Arbeloa remarked that Vinícius Júnior is “not far off” his peak form after the forward netted twice, including a stunning winner, in Real Madrid’s 3-2 derby triumph over Atlético Madrid on Sunday.
Ademola Lookman provided Atlético with a first-half advantage at the Bernabéu, before Vinícius equalized from the penalty spot, followed by Federico Valverde putting Madrid in front.
Nahuel Molina equalized from long range, and then Vinícius curled a shot past Atlético goalkeeper Juan Musso to secure the win for Madrid, keeping them four points behind Barcelona in the LaLiga title race.
“It was another excellent performance from Vini, showcasing his skill, courage, and character,” Arbeloa stated during his post-match press conference. “He scored a fantastic goal at a challenging moment. I feel fortunate to have him as a player. I can’t say if he’s at the peak of his career, but he’s certainly close.”
The Brazil international received a standing ovation from the Bernabéu crowd when he was substituted in the 87th minute, as the timing of his exit seemed to frustrate Atlético coach Diego Simeone.
Vinícius has now scored four goals in two matches, having also netted a brace against Manchester City in the Champions League earlier in the week.
“The credit goes to everyone: the coach, the players, and the fans,” Vinícius told Real Madrid TV. “I’m very pleased, as I’ve been working all season for matches like these. At this stage of the season, it feels rewarding.”
“I don’t know what it is about me, but I always seem to improve. The president [Florentino Perez] often tells me I need to score two goals, and today I delivered two, just for him.”
Madrid had to navigate the closing moments of the match with 10 players, following referee José Luis Munuera’s dismissal of Valverde for a tackle on Atlético’s Álex Baena.
“I had a different perspective than José Luis,” Arbeloa commented. “He deemed it excessive force. I didn’t perceive it that way. Such challenges happen frequently, and there was no intent to harm [Baena]. However, I appreciate his explanation.”
Vinícius’s team now trails their rivals Real by 12 points and sits 16 points behind leaders Barça.
“We could have performed better,” coach Simeone stated. “At 1-0, we should have managed the game more effectively.”
Arbeloa declined to confirm or deny speculation regarding Trent Alexander-Arnold being dropped from the starting lineup in favor of Dani Carvajal due to arriving late for training this week.
“I select the best XI for each match,” Arbeloa explained. “Carvajal played well, and I was pleased with his performance, while Trent came on and provided us with added energy. I’m glad to have so many options available.”
