Real Madrid completed an epic European comeback against Roma, but the night deepened Vinícius Júnior’s difficult spell rather than offering him a release. The Brazilian forward left the match without a goal or assist and was substituted shortly after an error that helped Roma extend their advantage.
A costly moment in the second half
Vinícius struggled to impose himself from the opening stages and remained on the margins of the contest after the interval. His most damaging contribution came in the 57th minute, when a mistake allowed Malen to score Roma’s second goal.
- Vinícius had made little impact in the first half.
- He did not register either a goal or an assist.
- His error led directly to Malen’s second Roma goal in the 57th minute.
- Real Madrid nevertheless produced a dramatic comeback.
José Mourinho reacted angrily to the concession, making clear that the manner of the goal was unacceptable at this level. “The third goal we let in was absurd; we cannot concede like that in a match of this standard,” the Portuguese coach said afterwards.
Endrick called on as Vinícius reacts
Only two minutes after Roma scored, Mourinho withdrew Vinícius and sent on Endrick. The decision visibly frustrated the Brazilian, who protested with his arms out as he made his way towards the bench.
It was another uncomfortable episode for a player going through one of the more delicate periods of his career. Vinícius had already learned that he will miss Real Madrid’s next four LaLiga fixtures through suspension, and this European night brought no immediate answer on the pitch.
