Real Madrid left Elche with a 3-2 win on Tuesday, but Vinicius Junior’s difficult start in front of goal again travelled with the Spanish side. After the match, the Brazilian forward used Instagram to acknowledge the lean spell, writing: “The goals will return.”
Headline: Vinicius Junior vows goals will return after Real Madrid survive Elche scare
SEO Title: Vinicius Junior reacts to goal drought after Real Madrid beat Elche
SEO Description: Vinicius Junior admitted his difficult scoring run after Real Madrid’s 3-2 La Liga victory at Elche, with Atletico Madrid next at the Metropolitano.
Quick facts
- Real Madrid won 3-2 away to Elche in the sixth round of the 2026/27 Spanish league season.
- Vinicius Junior was replaced by Brahim Diaz in the 68th minute, with Madrid leading 2-0.
- The Brazilian has scored once this season, against Real Sociedad on 26 August.
- He has also supplied three assists across six appearances.
- Madrid visit Atletico Madrid on Sunday, level on 15 points with Barcelona.
Wearing the number seven, Vinicius had at least three clear openings at the Martinez Valero. In the 19th minute he was played through facing goal but failed to make clean contact with his finish.
He found the target with a left-footed effort shortly before the interval, only for Elche goalkeeper Dituro to push it away. His last opportunity came after Arda Guler released him in the second half, when another attempt went wide.
The 26 August 4-1 victory over Real Sociedad remains the only match in which Vinicius has scored this campaign. His wider contribution has included assists and more defensive work, but the absence of regular goals has become increasingly visible.
Jose Mourinho has publicly backed the forward in recent weeks, saying Vinicius is close to peak physical condition and describing him as mentally strong.
Tuesday marked the first time this season that Vinicius had been taken off during the middle phase of the second half. Guler also departed, and Madrid’s comfortable position quickly dissolved as Elche scored twice.
Young forward Carlos Espi rescued the visitors with a stoppage-time winner, preventing a damaging collapse after the 2-0 advantage. Mourinho said Madrid must learn to finish off matches that appear settled.
“The issue seems obvious to me,” the Portuguese coach said. “Some games look over, but they are not. They seem easy, yet we do not kill them off, and then we move from comfort to a lack of control.”
Mourinho nevertheless pointed to Madrid’s response under pressure as the decisive positive. “When the difficulty arrives, the team reacts and wins, and that is what matters most,” he said, adding that Real Madrid matches are rarely dull.
The next stop is the capital derby at the Metropolitano on Sunday. Madrid sit second, tied with Barcelona on 15 points, although Barcelona still have their sixth-round fixture to play.
