Real Madrid legend Predrag Mijatovic has cautioned the club over the handling of star forwards Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior, suggesting that discontent within the squad could undermine performance and value.
Mbappe, who is of Cameroonian-Algerian descent, impressed in his debut season for Los Blancos, scoring 44 goals in 59 appearances across all competitions.
Vinicius, who has Cameroonian heritage, had a more modest campaign, netting 22 times in 58 matches—well below the standards that previously made him a fan favourite at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Mijatovic, a former striker and one-time Real Madrid sporting director, expressed concern over the mood within the dressing room and the club’s ability to maintain harmony as it transitions from the era of Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, and Casemiro.
“When you have to renew the team and look for the new Modric, Kroos and Casemiro… you can’t remake the team in one summer. The team has to make several important decisions this summer,” he told reporters.
The 1998 Champions League winner questioned whether Vinicius still enjoys the unwavering support of the Madrid faithful.
“I don’t know if the fans are as in love with Vinicius as they were two or three years ago, or if he has as much respect for them as he did then.”
Mijatovic warned that stockpiling high-value players might not yield long-term success.
“Accumulating great players, with a lot of market value, is always counterproductive… As the months go by, the player isn’t happy, and you don’t know if you will be able to sell him the following year.”
