Last summer, Karim Benzema surprised many by deciding to leave Real Madrid to join the Saudi club Al-Ittihad. The former French international had the option to extend his contract for another year after winning the Ballon d’Or.
His departure shook up many aspects at the Madrid club, which lost its leading attacker. This role was handed over to Vinicius Junior, who initially struggled to live up to it.
Since losing their top scorer, Karim Benzema, last summer, Real Madrid seems unfazed. The Spanish club has been having an excellent season, having already won the Spanish league title and still in the running to win their fifteenth Champions League title. This success is due in part to Vinicius Junior, who has stepped up as the team’s leading attacker, though not without difficulty.
Ronaldo helps Vinicius improve his goal-scoring efficiency
Since his arrival in the summer of 2018, Vinicius Junior has often been criticized for his inefficiency in front of goal. The Brazilian international has been seen as messy, imprecise, and especially impatient. These flaws have gradually been mitigated, as he has now become the main scorer for his club. Real Madrid became champions of Spain with his help, and he also received assistance from none other than Ronaldo. The Brazilian, a former player for the Madrid club, reportedly helped Vinicius Junior with his shooting during the summer of 2022 according to L’Équipe.
Benzema’s departure forced Vinicius to take on the role of leader
As Vinicius Junior became increasingly important and decisive for Real Madrid, Karim Benzema decided to leave the club as a free agent last summer. The role of leading the Madrid attack naturally fell to Vinicius Junior, who struggled with it, scoring only 6 goals in all competitions until December. The Brazilian also suffered from injuries, which kept him off the field for two and a half months in total. However, since January, everything has been much better for Vinicius, who has scored 15 goals in all competitions, including a double against Bayern Munich in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final (2-2).
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