In the tumult of Real Madrid’s 1-0 win over Celta Vigo, the Whites’ triumphant performance was tinged with palpable trepidation. One reason: the premature injury exit of Brazilian winger Vinicius Junior.
Indeed, Vinicius limped off the pitch, just 18 minutes after kick-off, following a brave attempt to continue despite suffering leg pain five minutes earlier. Unfortunately, Vinicius’ stubbornness wasn’t enough and he joined the ranks of Real Madrid’s injured players.
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Reassuring Ancelotti
After the final whistle, Carlo Ancelotti tried to calm things down by downplaying the severity of Vinicius’ injury. According to him, there would be nothing to be overly alarmed about, especially since the player had tried to persevere despite the pain. An attempt at play which, according to the Italian technician, would show a relatively minor injury.
However, the exact nature of Vinicius’ injury is yet to be elucidated. If no official confirmation has been given, the signs point to damage to the back of the leg. This uncertainty also surrounds the assessment of the seriousness of the situation as well as the probable duration of the player’s unavailability.
Out against Getafe
Besides, Ancelotti has already hinted that Vinicius will most likely miss Real Madrid’s next game against Getafe.
Subject to a positive development and an injury confirmed as minor, the date of September 16 against Real Sociedad looms as a possible return for the young winger. He, of course, has yet to be evaluated because of the Fifa Date. Vinicius was called up by Fernando Diniz.
Also, the silver lining for Ancelotti is that Vinicius Junior has rarely been sidelined due to injury since the start of his Real Madrid career. With the exception of a serious knee ligament tear in 2019 which sidelined him for two months, the Brazilian has featured in the majority of La Liga games over the past three seasons at the Bernabéu. Most of his absences were related to rotational spells rather than injuries.
All in all, Vinicius Junior’s condition raises questions, but the positive signals as to the nature of the injury bring some hope to Real Madrid and their supporters.
The next step will be to closely monitor the results of upcoming medical evaluations, to confirm the recovery strategy and establish a specific date for his return.
