What is happening with Vinicius Junior at Real Madrid is now causing genuine concern within the club's walls. A star who used to terrify Europe with his dribbling has become a player with no soul. One statistic against Leipzig said it all: zero attempted dribbles.
A night of zero against Leipzig
The Brazilian hit his lowest level since pulling on a Real Madrid shirt, according to Spain's "Mundo Deportivo". Against Leipzig he looked like a different player, stripped of his usual sparkle, no longer the winger who fights for every ball.
The telling figure is this: he did not attempt a single dribble all match. His attacking tally came to just two shots, both expertly stopped by Leipzig goalkeeper Martin Vandevoort, plus a single contribution to Arda Guler's goal that gave Los Blancos a 2-0 lead. Those were his only bright moments.
His face, his movements, his body language all confirm that he no longer enjoys football, and that worries the Real Madrid hierarchy. The club renewed his contract this summer and placed him among their top stars, at a level close to Kylian Mbappe, to lead the project. Today he is nowhere near that status.
Sadness looms as Diomande steals the spotlight
Vinicius looks sad and withdrawn. The club still believes he can come back, but the task looks extremely complicated right now.
His coach defended him, then substituted him in the 70th minute. On came Ivorian Diomande, who seized his chance, setting up the third goal for Mbappe and scoring the fourth himself in superb fashion, turning into the new idol of the Bernabeu faithful in a matter of minutes.
That decision raised plenty of questions, especially as Vinicius will not wear the Real Madrid shirt again until 4 November in the Champions League, owing to a four-match ban in La Liga, and will not reappear domestically until 21 November against Celta Vigo.
The coach addressed the change, saying: "This substitution is not a change from a dissatisfied coach, but rather a change from a coach who has a strong bench".
Jeers suffocate the Brazilian star
The Bernabeu fans have chosen their new star. They continue to jeer Vinicius in every match, and the Leipzig game was no exception, yet they roared for Diomande.
The most eloquent image was Vinicius sitting on the bench after being replaced, face drawn, expression grim, before he was the first to head for the dressing room as soon as the final whistle blew.
Real Madrid's main task now is to get Vinicius back to his level. Something is clearly bothering him.
On that point, the coach hit back at the fans' jeers: "If he is sad, that is a very personal matter. You may have your own point of view, but I think he is the only one who can honestly tell you what he feels or does not feel".
He added: "I understand his need for everyone's support, and I think he needs it. Jeers when we play away from home motivate us, but when it happens at home, it is painful. As his coach, I am happy with what he has achieved".