Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti has no doubt that Real Madrid winger Vinícius Júnior will continue to deliver in important games and have a great World Cup.
Vinícius has 13 goals and eight assists in 41 games for Los Blancos this season but has not found the back of the net in Madrid’s last four games.
The Brazil international missed a penalty in his team’s 3-0 triumph against Manchester City in last week Champions League round-of-16 opener.
Vinícius Júnior has been backed by Brazil boss Carlo Ancelotti. MIGUEL SCHINCARIOL/AFP via Getty Images
Speaking ahead of Madrid’s Champions League return leg in Manchester on Tuesday, Ancelotti, who coached Vinícius at Madrid before taking Brazil’s job in June, told Radio Marca: “Vinícius has never failed in important matches. I can’t recall a single semifinal or quarterfinal where Vini has failed to deliver.”
Vinícius scored the only goal in a 1-0 win over Liverpool in the 2022 Champions League final while he also found the back of the net in Madrid’s 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund in the 2024 Champions League title game.
Ancelotti recalled only one time in which he has seen Vinícius lose his composure and that was in last season’s league win at Valencia where the player was shown a straight red for slapping rival goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski.
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“Maybe Vinicius got frustrated in Valencia when he lost his focus, but he’s never done that in important games,” Ancelotti said.
“I’m convinced he’ll have a great World Cup if he’s in the squad. Vinicius is humble, cheerful, and has extraordinary talent.”