Real Madrid are in a tough LaLiga title race, and while they helped their own cause after Kylian Mbappe’s brace rescued a potential upset loss to Leganes this weekend at the Santiago Bernabeu, it honestly looks like Barcelona are the favorites to take home the title this season.
Mbappe’s addition to the team has proven beneficial, because, without him as their top scorer, Real Madrid may be facing a more difficult campaign amidst defensive injuries, a midfield lacking control without Toni Kroos, and a down year from Vinicius Junior.
Although Vini Jr.’s 10 goals and 5 assists show that he’s having a good season overall, he has been left wanting in some ways, and this key stat sheds some light on how.
Per stat site Squawka, Luka Modric, at the age of 39 and with just 11 starts this season, was actually Real’s leading player in big chances created heading into this weekend’s win over Leganes with 14 big chances created.
Kylian Mbappe was second on the team with 11, and then Vinicius Junior sat in third with 9, just 2 ahead of right back Lucas Vazquez who has created 7 big chances.
While Vinicius Jr. is beating countryman Rodrygo Goes, who has just 5, Rodrygo doesn’t face the same weight of expectations as Vinicius Jr. and isn’t the one playing in his most favored position.
Mbappe has transitioned successfully to the middle of the pitch as a striker in order to allow Vinicius Jr. to remain on the left wing, and yet he is more than doubling Vini Jr.’s output in goals while still creating more clear-cut chances than Vinicius.
Modric leading the team in big chances created over Vinicius Jr. at his age is both a huge credit to the Croatian but also a disappointment for the Brazilian superstar.
Vinicius Jr. has squandered so many great chances to set up teammates by taking the shot himself, mistiming the pass, or making a poor cross out of bounds or right at the defender.
His execution, consistency, and decision-making have all been worse this season in the aftermath of losing the Ballon d’Or to Rodri, and Carlo Ancelotti needs to help Vinicius Jr. get his head right; at 24 years old, Vinicius should be getting better and not worse as a playmaker.
Joe Soriano covers West Ham for Green Street Hammers and writes about Real Madrid for The Real Champs. He has extensive experience covering world football since 2014. Joe is an editor for The Trivela Effect, where he covers the biggest clubs in European football. He has watched professional sports regularly since 2002 and can be found playing the same sports he covers with his friends.