Vinicius Junior’s dribbling drought raises questions as Real Madrid suspension looms

Vinicius Junior has failed to attempt a single dribble in his past two appearances for Real Madrid, prompting scrutiny of the Brazil forward’s form before he begins a three-match La Liga suspension.

The 25-year-old will miss Real Madrid’s next three league fixtures against Barcelona, Racing and Valencia. He is serving a four-match ban after an incident against Villarreal at Santiago Bernabeu on 10 October, when he pulled the hair of William Saliba. He has completed one match of the suspension, against Sevilla on Sunday, and will also miss the upcoming El Clasico.

Vinicius came on as a substitute against Villarreal and, in 20 minutes, completed two dribbles and helped create Real Madrid’s second goal. However, VAR later ruled out a goal scored by the Brazilian after identifying the hair-pulling incident, which led to his suspension.

According to Spanish newspaper Marca, Vinicius played for 70 minutes against Leipzig without trying to take on an opponent. He had also failed to attempt a dribble in his previous start against Roma, when he played 59 minutes.

His performance against Leipzig appeared out of character. Vinicius did not try to beat defenders and did not smile, two recognisable features of both his personality and his style of play, which have remained evident even during hostile matches.

Instead, he looked subdued and almost sad on Wednesday. The reaction received little attention at the time, although Jose Mourinho addressed it sympathetically and stressed the importance of Real Madrid getting the best from the forward.

“If he is sad, that is a very personal matter,” Mourinho said. “You can form your own impression, but I believe he is the only person who can tell you honestly what he feels or does not feel. As a coach, I was pleased with the match he played.

“There are always greater expectations of Vinicius. People expect him to be decisive because of his individual ability, but I liked his performance.”

Mourinho also praised the player’s defensive contribution, saying: “Of the three forwards, he was the one who took the most responsibility for maintaining the team’s defensive balance. Leipzig’s right-back was moving between the lines, and Vinicius closed the spaces in front of him very well. The ball reached the central area only once.

“Offensively, he was not dominant, but he played a balanced game. He did not lose the ball and he had one chance, which the goalkeeper saved superbly.”

He said the decision to replace Vinicius was not a criticism of his display but reflected the strength of the substitutes’ bench, with Diomande and Endrick introduced to provide greater pace and different qualities.

Mourinho added that Vinicius needed support, particularly from Real Madrid supporters. “Booing away from home gives a player energy, but when it comes from your own fans in your own stadium, it hurts him,” he said.

Dribbling remains central to the winger’s game. Yan Diomande, who can operate on either flank, has completed 47 successful dribbles this season at a 66% success rate. Vinicius has attempted 38, with a 42% success rate, despite playing more than 800 minutes compared with Diomande’s 565.

Vinicius is due to return on 4 November against AEK Athens in the Champions League in Athens, when it will become clearer whether his displays against Roma and Leipzig were only a temporary dip.