Brazilian-Cameroonian star Vinicius Junior unsettled by bench role at Real Madrid – Xabi Alonso

Real Madrid head coach Xabi Alonso has admitted that Vinicius Junior is feeling the strain of his limited playing time this season, suggesting the forward is unsettled after again starting from the bench in the club’s Champions League victory over Olympique Marseille.

The remarks came on the eve of Madrid’s La Liga clash with Espanyol, where Alonso was pressed on the Brazil international’s current status.

Vinicius, who is of Cameroonian descent, has been a mainstay of Real Madrid’s attack in recent years but has seen his role reduced since Alonso’s arrival.

His omission from the starting line-up in midweek marked another surprising decision by the coach, fuelling speculation about the 24-year-old’s frustration.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Alonso revealed he had been carefully monitoring Vinicius’s mood in training.

“He looks good. Seeing him from the outside is very different. Yesterday I realized it wasn’t the right time to talk to him, but today he had a better smile and was more positive,” the Spaniard said.

Alonso added that he held an individual session with Vinicius to maintain communication and build confidence.

“I spoke to him and ended up doing some individualized things with him during training. We’ll see tomorrow,” he stated.

The Real Madrid boss also stressed that his squad’s depth means everyone must accept rotation, including big names.

“For me, there are many important players in this squad. In terms of level, experience, track record, and what they’ll give us. Vinicius is one of them, Jude, Fede, Aurélien, Dean, Arda… I’m not going to get into those labels we want to put on them right now,” he told reporters.

“I value everyone very much and I want the whole team to feel important. Everyone is in this boat, and we need everyone to pull in the same direction,” Alonso concluded.