Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior is set to be sidelined for awhile, having suffered a thigh injury in last weekend’s 1-0 win at Celta Vigo. It’s the first serious muscular injury ever suffered by the 23-year-old, who will begin his time on the shelf starting Saturday when Los Blancos take on Getafe.
“Following tests carried out on Vini. Jr by the Real Madrid Medical Services, the player has been diagnosed with an injury to the right biceps femoris muscle,” reads the club statement released by Real Madrid yesterday. “His progress will be monitored.”
This is a big loss for the Spanish giants, as Vinicius Junior is one of their most important players. This is evidenced by the fact that he ranks fourth on the Real Madrid players salaries rankings. The flamboyant Brazilian, famous for his goal celebration dances, makes £342,341 per week, and £17,801,756 person season. Given the goals that he provides the squad, this is a pretty good return on investment. In the Real Madrid salaries ranking, Vini trails only Toni Kroos, David Alaba and Luka Modric. His absence, likely to be around six weeks, is especially painful right now, given how Madrid is almost certainly not going to sign Kylian Mbappe this summer.
Yes, for the third straight summer, all that transfer speculation and talk about the French superstar leaving Paris Saint-Germain to join up at the Bernabeu is going to be all for naught.
Vini is likely to miss five more LaLiga games beyond Getafe on Saturday, and that list of fixtures includes Real Sociedad, Atletico, Las Palmas, Girona and Osasuna.
He’s also going to be unavailable for Madrid’s first two group stage clashes in the UEFA Champions League. Vinicius was subbed off against Vigo in the 18th minute after sprinting caused him some noticeable pain. His loss will be felt on the international level too. Vini will miss the entire international period next month, which includes two World Cup qualifiers for Brazil.
Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti said on Friday that his club will not be looking to make a panic buy in the last few days of the transfer window, despite the void in the final third that now exists with the injury to Vinicius.
“The attack is covered,” the Italian gaffer maintains.
“The data speaks for itself. We’ve scored six goals. Without Karim [Benzema], without Vinicius, we have resources up front.”
I guess Ancelotti is content to go to war with the army he has, not the army he wishes he had.