Vinicius’ Derby

In their pursuit of Barcelona, ​​Real Madrid will face Atletico Madrid again, one of their worst memories of the season. That was the 2-5 derby defeat at the Metropolitano, where Xabi Alonso’s project first showed its weaknesses.

Such confrontations are always fierce regardless of the two teams’ positions, with the pace often dictated by Diego Simeone’s team. But Arbeloa’s Real Madrid rekindled their wild instincts and stamina.

Vinicius rediscovers joy. Photo: RMCF

Real Madrid pressed Atletico at times, with their opponents enduring the pressure and eventually taking the lead, before “Los Blancos” rallied thanks to bursts of brilliance from Vinicius Junior and Federico Valverde.

Even though the referee sent off the Uruguayan midfielder for a tackle on Alex Baena, the Bernabeu side held firm and kept the La Liga race alive.

Things started unconventionally. Despite Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham, the main attacking duo in the first leg under Alonso’s system, being on the bench, Real Madrid instead displayed a high-energy performance, with Thiago Pitarch as the driving force.

But above all, it was the impact of Vinicius and Valverde. The Uruguayan player recreated the situation that led to his opening goal against Man City, but this time his shot was denied by the post after beating goalkeeper Juan Musso. He then capitalized on an opponent’s mistake to score his sixth goal in the last five matches.

Meanwhile, Vinicius scored a brace – his penalty to equalize 1-1 was his first goal in a Madrid derby in La Liga.

Furthermore, for the first time in his career, the Brazilian star scored a brace in two consecutive matches. Prior to that, he shone brightly, helping Real Madrid beat Man City 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium.

Valverde and Vinicius were victims of a failure to find common ground within Alonso’s tactical system. But now, under Alvaro Arbeloa, the scenario is different.

A smile with Arbeloa

It has been a long time since Real Madrid fans have seen Vinicius have such a strong influence on big matches.

In the first leg, a 2-5 defeat, Vini didn’t have a single shot, only touching the ball three times inside the opponent’s penalty area. This time, however, he tore apart the defensive system that Diego Simeone had set up.

The 25-year-old player took 5 shots, 4 of which were on target, resulting in 2 goals.

Valverde has also been consistently explosive. Photo: RMCF

So far this season, Vinicius has scored 17 goals, with 11 of those coming in 16 games under Arbeloa – more than anyone else (Mbappe is second with 9). During Alonso’s tenure, he only scored 6 goals in 27 appearances.

Like Carlo Ancelotti before him, Arbeloa gave Vinicius freedom and confidence. He responded with wild, spontaneous, and emotionally charged Brazilian football.

Similarly, he also allowed Valverde to play in a more advanced position, participating more in attacks than he did when he didn’t know his role during Alonso’s tenure. He scored 7 goals during this time, compared to only 1 under the previous regime.

“Another fantastic game from Vini ,” Arbeloa praised after his brace against Atletico. “Once again he showed his talent, character, courage, bravery, and dedication . ”

Real Madrid has two different versions of Alonso and Arbeloa – close friends from Jose Mourinho’s time at the Bernabeu. The difference lies in the moments when Vinicius and Valverde shine.