Vinicius has stayed with Real Madrid in a contract valid until 2032. It is not yet known whether the Brazilian striker will be fully attached for the next 6 years or will leave sooner, but at least in the next 2-3 seasons, the 26-year-old winger will stay at the Bernabeu.
With the recruitment of a series of new players this summer, most recently Yan Diomande with a price of up to 140 million Euros, Real Madrid shows great ambition to overthrow the dominance of arch-rival Barcelona in the domestic arena. However, is it certain that by keeping Vinicius, Real Madrid will be much stronger than last season?
Los Blancos' problem last season was never the number of goals scored. They still do it regularly every match, but unstable team structure has put them at a disadvantage against Barca. Real Madrid's midfield is lacking someone who can regulate at the highest level like Rodri, causing the squad to lose balance. Last season with Xabi Alonso or Alvaro Arbeloa, Real often played 4-4-2 when defending to steal the ball to rotate for the Vinicius - Mbappe pair above. These are two players with superb attacking skills but are very lazy to participate in supporting defense, that is the problem.
Among the 1,483 players who played at least 900 minutes in the top 5 European national championships last season, Mbappe ranked 1479th in the number of successful tackles per game. Both he and Vinicius only made a meager 2 tackles throughout the season. They rarely blocked the opponent's passes towards the midfield area.
Such situations put great pressure on Real Madrid's 4-man midfield, especially the central midfield pair. They constantly have to decide whether to push up or retreat to cover the defense. High-class opponents can take advantage of these hesitant moments to bring players with good technique and danger ability into the gaps left behind.
Another consequence of placing both Vinicius and Mbappe in the squad is forcing Fede Valverde, Jude Bellingham or both to take on defensive duties on both wings, causing them to leave their preferred positions in the central area.
Bellingham has scored 19 goals in La Liga in his first season and often has surges to shoot in the penalty area from the central midfielder position. Meanwhile, his excellent performance in the England national team jersey at the World Cup last summer further highlighted his ability when playing in the attacking role.
In addition, physical fitness and versatility also make Bellingham the most suitable person for the role of covering, providing the best protection for the defense alongside Valverde.
If Vinicius and Mbappe are both in the starting lineup, this will eliminate Bellingham's ability to contribute to the attacking front, forcing him to defend in vast gaps when there is no ball. As a result, opponents can still coordinate to easily overcome him.
Some new players will bring the necessary support. Bernardo Silva brings abundant energy to the midfield with keen tactical thinking. He is capable of choosing positions and filling gaps when his team does not control the ball. Marc Cucurella also brings persistence in defense on the left flank, helping to reduce the burden on the left winger in the 4-4-2 formation.
Diomande is capable of playing well on both wings and is an option that focuses more on defense. Because Real Madrid has many options on the left wing, the 19-year-old star is likely to be placed in the starting lineup on the right wing. Here, he may be assigned the task of corridor defense in the 4-4-2 formation, supporting Trent Alexander-Arnold or Denzel Dumfries.
Jose Mourinho still has cards to turn the situation around. However, extending the contract with Vinicius seems to be a missed opportunity to rebalance the squad as well as solve the core issues that make it difficult for them to regain the La Liga title and compete in the Champions League.
