Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso has stood by his decision to leave Brazilian winger Vinicius Jr out of his starting line-up, insisting that every player must fight for their place despite Vinicius’ heroics off the bench.
The decision paid off last Sunday as Vinicius came on as a substitute to help Real Madrid secure a 3-0 victory against Oviedo, providing an assist for Mbappe’s second goal before scoring himself.
Real Madrid now sit joint-top of LaLiga after winning both of their opening matches. They will face struggling Mallorca this Saturday, who are 16th with one point from two games.
When asked about benching such a high-profile player, Alonso remained unfazed:
“In the dressing room, the key thing is that everyone is willing to contribute, whether on the pitch or off it. Really believing in this is fundamental. And here, everyone does.”
Alonso praised Vinicius’ response to being benched:
“I’m very happy with Vini. Against Oviedo, he showed that he can have a big impact coming off the bench. We’re just getting started… and he’s going to be crucial.”
Alonso also backed Rodrygo, who replaced Vinicius on the left wing for his first start since the Club World Cup clash against Al Hilal in June:
“He has performed at his best in different positions. He has played as a nine and even a 10. But I think the left wing is a very good position for him.”
However, Alonso did not disclose whether Rodrygo would start ahead of Vinicius again this weekend:
“It wouldn’t be very smart of me to tell you what I’m going to do, put him as a starter or in the left wing again. We’ll see tomorrow.”
