Vinicius Junior’s long-standing rivalry with Pablo Maffeo reached a boiling point once again during Real Madrid’s disappointing 2-1 defeat to Mallorca on Saturday. The Brazilian winger was subjected to persistent provocations as Los Blancos saw their La Liga title hopes suffer a significant blow away from home.
Vinicius Junior has proved once again why he is one of the most feared dribblers in world football, even if the victim this time was one of his own team-mates. The Brazilian superstar left Trent Alexander-Arnold red-faced during a recent Real Madrid training session with a piece of skill that has since gone viral.
Real Madrid boss Alvaro Arbeloa has aimed a cheeky swipe at his predecessor and "friend' Carlo Ancelotti over the management of Vinicius Junior's workload. The Brazilian superstar played every single minute of his country's recent international fixtures and returned in exhausted after a gruelling schedule in the United States, leaving his availability for an upcoming La Liga match in doubt.
Gabriel Jesus has claimed that Arsenal team-mate Bukayo Saka deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as global superstars like Vinicius Junior, Raphinha and Rodrygo. Speaking in an interview with Rio Ferdinand, the Brazilian striker was asked where he believes Saka currently ranks among the game's premier wide players.
MLS Commissioner Don Garber backed MLS to continue to invest in top European talent in an appearance on the Late Run. The executive, who oversaw the acquisitions of David Beckham and Lionel Messi, asserted that MLS no longer has to reach out to the top stars of the global game. He also touched on the possibility of promotion-relegation being a part of the league's future.
