The spotlight in Madrid has been on Vinicius Jr. for most of the season so far, and not for the right reasons.
The same player who used to step up under immense pressure and consistently deliver for the club is currently going through one of the worst moments in his career, and his presence on the field has slowly begun to appear as a burden.
In Real Madrid’s most recent game against Roma, the match completely changed after the player left the field and made way for more impactful names, and even his four-game suspension is being viewed as a blessing in disguise.
Appallingly poor finishing
Vinicius, over the years, carved a reputation for himself as one of the world’s best dribblers and finishers under pressure.
He was a bona fide chance-creating machine out wide, and his dribbling prowess made him one of a kind.
Not only has his dribbling ability and output diminished now, but the player’s ability to convert chances is also at an all-time low.
In the 2026-27 campaign, the Brazilian star has racked up 25 shots across all competitions and has scored just once from them. The xG of his chances stands at a staggering 3.14, and for him to produce just one goal out of them is shocking.
His shot conversion rate, as matters stand, is a dreadful 4.4%, meaning he will score just under four goals for every 100 shots taken. That number is the second lowest in Europe’s top five leagues for any player who has taken over 20 shots.
Boon or a bane?
As officially confirmed earlier in the week, the winger now faces a four-game suspension in La Liga for his hair-pulling incident against Villarreal and the subsequent protest he put up after being shown the red card.
In a way, the break from professional football could hand the player some much-needed time to clear his head and come back stronger after a break. It could, in that way, be a boon as the player is clearly getting nowhere by playing consistently.
The inherent and unavoidable threat of the situation, however, is that it opens the door for his direct competitors to enjoy continuity and prominence for four games, including El Clasico, and he could well lose his starting spot if they perform well in the role.
Whether his suspension ends up as a boon or a bane for Vinicius, in that sense, will be interesting to see.