Vinícius Jr. key: Alonso highlights the Real Madrid crack vs. Juve.

Xabi Alonso Praises Vinícius Júnior: “Fundamental and Decisive” for Real Madrid

In the lead-up to two crucial matches this week, against Juventus in the Champions League and the much-anticipated Clásico against Barcelona, Xabi Alonso’s words highlight the importance of Vinícius Júnior for Real Madrid. Alonso described Vinícius as a “fundamental” and “decisive” player, highlighting his impact on the team. The coach surprised everyone by leaving Vinícius out of the starting lineup in the LaLiga match against Getafe, where the Brazilian player came on from the bench to change the course of the game, causing two red cards for the Getafe players. This was the third time this season that Alonso benched Vinícius, while negotiations for the renewal of his contract are still ongoing. What’s happening with Vini Jr.?: The Ballon d’Or favorite on the Madrid bench

“He’s a very good player,” Alonso stated at a press conference on Tuesday, before the match against Juventus. “He is fundamental to this team and to this squad. He is this season and has been for a long time.”

Xabi Alonso

Alonso added: “It’s decisive, I like to see him smile. We need him, focused on the game, on what he does well. The day-to-day is good and he’s responding well in the matches.” Vinícius has been criticized by José Bordalás, Getafe’s coach, who accused the player of mocking after the substitution of Allan Nyom, who was sent off after a foul on Vinícius. Defender Juan Iglesias also accused Vinícius of “disrespecting” the opponents.

“It’s not easy,” commented goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois on Tuesday, when asked about Vinícius. “At 18 years old, many people laughed [at Vinícius]. He did nothing wrong in Getafe, and everyone is against him. They looked for him from the beginning, and they destabilized him.”

Thibaut Courtois

Courtois added: “He had a good response, he helped us be dangerous, he helped us score. People are unfair to him, he’s a great guy, he helps the team.”

Vinícius, with five goals and four assists in LaLiga this season, has been involved in several confrontations with rival players, as well as being the victim of racist insults from some fans. Courtois pointed out: “It’s not always easy when a stadium points at you, when the players hit you. It has been improving, and I think if he has learned to live with the conflict and destabilize rivals, that’s good. I had Diego Costa on my team [at Chelsea] and he was the best at that, he drove defenses crazy. If Vinícius can do that, great. It’s important for us that he is focused on the game, because he is one of the best in the world.” Alonso also mentioned that he is still unsure about the availability of Dean Huijsen, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dani Carvajal for Sunday’s Clásico, and that the decision will be made on Saturday. In addition, he praised midfielder Arda Güler, whom he described as “a mix of Mesut Özil and Guti”. “Guti had that quality, the ability to play further back in the build-up, but also close to the striker, and give the final pass,” said Alonso. “I enjoyed playing with Mesut… We have to keep pushing [Arda], but we are very happy with his form, his maturity and his role in the team.”