Real Madrid’s manager, Carlo Ancelotti, lauded the resurgence of Vinicius Jr, as the 23-year-old Brazilian winger delivered an outstanding performance to help secure a 2-1 Champions League victory over Sporting Braga. Ancelotti commended Vinicius Jr’s efforts and credited his contributions, which included an assist for England midfielder Jude Bellingham’s goal. The Brazilian was named the man of the match, as his performance played a pivotal role in maintaining Real Madrid’s position at the top of Group C.
Vinicius Jr had been sidelined for a month due to a hamstring injury he sustained in August. Ancelotti acknowledged his successful return, stating, “He’s back to his best. He got the goal, which was ruled out by the narrowest of margins, and he made two assists for Rodrygo and Bellingham. He’s back, and he’s back in form. He made the difference today.”
Ancelotti also highlighted the strong partnership between Vinicius Jr and Bellingham, both with and without the ball, indicating the need for further improvement in that aspect. He praised their collaborative efforts, saying, “They (Bellingham and Vinicius Jr) work really well together with the ball and without it. We have to improve there, but they’re both doing a great job.”
Real Madrid, the illustrious 14-time Champions League winners and current leaders in LaLiga with 25 points from 10 matches, are preparing to face arch-rivals Barcelona on Saturday. Barcelona, in third place, are trailing Real Madrid by just one point in the league.
Ancelotti expressed the significance of the upcoming clash, saying, “After this game, we know exactly what we need to do — everything we can to win it. We have time to get ready for it. We’re heading into this incredibly important game full of excitement.”
