Vinicius challenges Real Madrid.. and Marca confirms: “Yes, he can”

Vinicius scored his second goal this season against Espanyol, and his second in a row after opening the 2022-23 season against Celta Vigo. The Brazilian continues where he left off last season after his “explosion”.

Vinicius’ 22nd goal in the 2021/22 season was a turning point in his career. The Brazilian got rid of the curse of shyness in front of goal after three seasons of relatively poor numbers (3 goals on 18/19, 5 on 19/20 and 6 on 20/21). Once that weight was lifted off his shoulders, he was unstoppable and crossed the 20-goal mark.

The goal that capped a brilliant season came when he scored the goal that won Real Madrid their 14th European title in Paris against Liverpool.

At the age of 21, he equaled, for example, the best record of Gareth Bale as a player in Madrid (22 goals in the 13/14) season and became the second-best scorer of Los Blancos, trailing only Karim Benzema. Vinicius’ attacking influence last season cannot be understated: 22 goals and 13 assists.

Scoring boom

After last season’s tournaments, Vinicius now wants more and ups the ante. The player is convinced that this season he can surpass 30 goals. Big words, but within the reach of a player whose progress seems to have no limits. With his confidence high in the sky and solidified as a core, the challenge is not out of reach. Vinicius has added to his collection and feels he is able to reach numbers that would have been unimaginable just a year ago.

One of the keys to achieving his ambitious goal is not only his improvement in front of goal and the overall shape of the team, but also the consistency of the Brazilian. Last season Vinicius played 52 of his 56 matches (93 per cent). Vinicius has not been injured since March 2019 and this has allowed him to accumulate playing time.

renewal

Naturally, Real Madrid would like to renew his contract. Negotiations are ongoing and the only aspect that needs to be worked on is the length of his contract extension. Real Madrid wants to extend it until 2028, but, as reported by Marca newspaper, the player preferred a slightly shorter period, specifically until 2026 or 2027.

source: marca