Champions League: Vinicius joins special list that includes Messi and Mbappé

The Brazilian joined the list of the youngest players to reach 50 appearances in the Champions League
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sambafoot_admin
2024-02-14 15:14:20

Real Madrid’s 1-0 win over Leipzig marked a special milestone for Vinicius Junior, who reached 50 UEFA Champions League appearances. As Spanish outlet Diario As note, the Brazilian became the fifth youngest player to achieve this, behind the likes of Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé.

While the Merengue No. 7 achieved it at 23 years and 216 days OLD, the Argentine did it at 23 years and 166 days, while the French attacker reached that figure at just 22 years and 339 days. Cesc Fàbregas was the second youngest to reach that number of games at 22 years and 331 days, as the record belongs to Iker Casillas, who reached 50 Champions League games at just 22 years and 155 days of age.

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++ Vinicius Junior had his best game of the season against Girona
++ Vinicius surpasses Roberto Carlos to become the second-highest Brazilian goalscorer in Real Madrid history
++ Real Madrid could get rid of Vinicius Jr. if Kylian Mbappé arrives

Carlo Ancelotti reacts to Madrid’s hard-fought win

On Vini’s special night, Madrid only needed a goal from Brahim Diaz after 48′ to return to Spain with a 1-o aggregate lead. After the match, Carlo Ancelotti shared his thoughts: “It cost us because that’s how it is, here it is like that. It was a hard-fought match, very competitive, but the team was in it. We could have done better, I think so, but there are many positive aspects. We could have been further ahead on the scoreboard, but we could also have tied.”

“Lunin played a great game. He is a goalkeeper who is progressing because he hasn’t had many minutes. Playing is giving him confidence. The idea was to be solid in our own half, we were dangerous in transitions, it was a complete game, we are satisfied, but it’s a small advantage. It’s a small advantage, I don’t think anyone was thinking of finishing the tie here. It was a good game, a good result, but there are another 90 minutes at our stadium,” added Ancelotti.