Vinicius Junior embraces new Real Madrid role as Mourinho helps revive Bernabeu bond

Vinicius Junior has returned to Santiago Bernabeu for the new season with a renewed contract, a changed status within Real Madrid’s project and signs that his relationship with the club’s supporters is beginning to recover.

The Brazil forward has agreed to remain at Real Madrid until 2032 and is starting a new stage of his career at the club, accepting a different role while attempting to rediscover the form that made him one of the team’s most influential players.

According to Spanish newspaper AS, Vinicius Junior is now beginning his ninth season with Real Madrid. However, his position in the team has shifted from previous campaigns, with Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham emerging as the club’s two leading figures under manager Jose Mourinho.

Vinicius has accepted that change following the extension to his contract and has indicated in the opening two league matches that he is prepared to deal with the new circumstances without becoming distracted by comparisons.

He scored one goal and created another against Real Sociedad, making a direct contribution to Real Madrid’s victory. That performance came only days after Espanyol had provided the backdrop for an impressive display from Bellingham, while Mbappe had made a fast start to the campaign by scoring three goals against Real Sociedad.

The Brazilian’s fresh beginning has also been reflected in his relationship with the Real Madrid fans. In recent months, that connection had become strained by a drop in form and uncertainty over his future at the club.

There were jeers directed at Vinicius during the match against Real Sociedad, but the negative reaction did not last. His influence grew as the game progressed, and his goal and assist helped shift the mood inside Santiago Bernabeu.

The sound from the stands gradually moved from whistles to applause, offering a reminder of the bond Vinicius developed with the supporters during his best periods in a Real Madrid shirt.

Mourinho then took the decision to substitute Vinicius after he had scored, allowing the forward to receive the appreciation of the Bernabeu crowd. The manager explained afterwards: “I would not have brought Vini on if it had not been for the goal, and if it had not been for that positive feeling. I thought it was better to substitute him after the goal, and it was good to bring him off so he could feel the love of the fans.”

Mourinho recognises that restoring Vinicius to his previous level will be an important part of Real Madrid’s new direction. The manager’s decision also gave the player an opportunity to leave the pitch to an encouraging reception rather than the hostility he had faced earlier in the match.

Vinicius, meanwhile, appears ready to move beyond the speculation and comparisons that have surrounded him. After resolving his future with the club, he is attempting to re-establish his place in the team and rebuild his connection with the supporters.

What had threatened to become a night defined by whistles may instead prove to have marked the beginning of another chapter, with Vinicius hoping his return to form can turn that difficult evening into the starting point for a new period of success at Real Madrid.