For a few seconds, everything looked right again. Spanish newspapers might have praised Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho on Sunday morning for coaxing a response from one of his superstars. The Special One had benched Vinicius Junior for the first time this season after several disappointing performances, leaving him out of the starting line-up for last Saturday's 1-0 league win against FC Villarreal.
His decision also reflected the strain of Vinicius Junior's travel with the Brazil national team during the recent international break. Even so, the number 7 appeared to have given the papers their headline when he came off the bench and scored what looked like the decisive second goal in the 71st minute.
Vinicius finished ruthlessly from close range after excellent work by Jude Bellingham, and the Bernabeu, so often critical of him, erupted. He kissed the club crest on his shirt. Mourinho sprinted from his bench, arriving surprisingly quickly to embrace his attacking magician.
How much does Vinicius Junior earn at Real Madrid?
A goal would have offered Vinicius relief after a poor start to the season and difficult weeks following Brazil's disappointingly early World Cup exit against Norway in the round of 16 in early July. Rumours of a move from Madrid to Arsenal persisted for much of the summer. Only in early August did it become official: Vinicius was staying at Real, extending his contract until 2032 and now reportedly earning around 25 million euros a year.
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Some fans still hold the saga surrounding his contract extension, which lasted around a year and a half, against him. His failure to find his rhythm in 2026/27 has made the Brazilian even more divisive among his own supporters than he already was. He has also faced distressing turmoil in his private life and publicly aired speculation about his now-confirmed latest split from his former girlfriend Virginia Fonseca.
As if that were not enough, bizarre conspiracy theories dragged Vinicius's name into the headlines. Claims emerged on Brazilian internet forums and TikTok in late September that the Real star had mysteriously disappeared after the World Cup and that a lookalike had replaced him. Those spreading the entirely baseless claims pointed to cosmetic chin surgery Vinicius underwent in July. Some also claimed to have spotted differences in the 26-year-old's thigh tattoos during the Selecao's friendly against Australia in late September, absurdly speculating that a lookalike, rather than Vinicius himself, was on the pitch.
Neither the player, Real nor the Brazilian federation issued an official response. Still, the critical, distressing and strange headlines of recent weeks are unlikely to have left Vinicius unaffected. His apparent goal against Villarreal seemed to sweep all that aside. It looked like a small but significant turning point in his season.
Vinicius Junior: another dramatic chapter instead of relief
That feeling lasted exactly 114 seconds after the ball hit the net. Vinicius saw the red card, his mouth wide open in disbelief. VAR had intervened. As he began his run towards goal before the strike, Vinicius had pulled the hair of Nathan Saliba, who stood in his way, as the footage showed. Referee Isidro Diaz de Mera Escuderos disallowed the goal and sent him off.
A two-match ban followed for the incident on the pitch. Vinicius then angrily confronted the referee and shoved a LaLiga employee aside on his way to the dressing room, adding another two matches to his suspension. He will miss the next four league games, including the Clasico against arch-rivals Barcelona at the end of October.
Real were furious not just about the length of the ban but also about when it was announced: Wednesday evening, shortly before their important Champions League match away to AS Roma. "They're doing it quite shamelessly now. The cat is out of the bag. Two hours before a match, a player has to learn that he has a four-match ban. Do you think that's normal?" an enraged Mourinho asked after his side's spectacular 4-3 win.
"They had all day to tell me about the ban. And it was just as I arrived at the stadium that I heard the news that I had been banned for four LaLiga matches," Vinicius himself complained after a game that reflected his current struggles. His uninspiring display took a marked turn for the worse when he tried to flick on a pass from goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois with a careless backheel. Instead, he sent the ball straight to Roma defender Evan Ndicka, setting up the goal that put the Italians 2-1 ahead.
Vinicius Junior's unfortunate role in Real Madrid's win in Rome
Almost ten minutes later, with Roma 3-1 up, Mourinho took the seemingly disgruntled Vinicius off and brought on his compatriot Endrick. A goal and an assist from Endrick then helped Real turn the match into an away win without Vinicius on the pitch.
Getty Images"I know I'm not in top form at the moment," Vinicius admitted after the final whistle. He has just one goal in ten appearances across all competitions this season, scored almost two months ago in the 4-1 win against Real Sociedad on 26 August. Since the end of August, his only goal contribution has been an assist in the 4-1 win over Rayo Vallecano in mid-September.
"I've had worse spells. And even when people doubted me, I always stood up for this club," the forward told reporters late on Wednesday evening. His lengthy LaLiga ban leaves him just two chances to turn his form around before the next international break in November: the Champions League matches against RB Leipzig next week and away to AEK Athens in early November. Vinicius remains optimistic despite his form. "In the end, Vini always comes back," he stressed. "I have no doubt that I will find my best form again, score goals again and take the team where they belong."