Another game without score and fought with Simeone: Vinicius and his nightmare with Real Madrid

Real Madrid emerged victorious in a hard-fought Madrid Derby, defeating Atlético Madrid 2-1 in the Spanish Super Cup semifinals. With this win, Xabi Alonso’s side has officially secured its place in the grand final, where they will face FC Barcelona in pursuit of their first piece of silverware this season. However, despite the collective triumph over the "Colchoneros," a serious concern looms over the "Merengue" camp: the current form of Vinícius Jr., who once again failed to score.

Vini Jr.'s Performance Against Atlético

The Brazilian started on the left wing, tasked with providing support to Álvaro Carreras and offering his trademark explosiveness against the tight marking of Marcos Llorente. However, his performance was far from superlative. Vinícius struggled to be decisive in the final third and showed a noticeable lack of defensive work rate—a dangerous flaw against an Atlético side that excels in rapid defense-to-attack transitions.

Throughout his 81 minutes on the pitch, Vinícius contributed little to the attack. Xabi Alonso eventually decided he had seen enough, substituting him for the young talent Arda Güler in the closing stages of the match.

The Altercation: Vini Jr. vs. "Cholo" Simeone

Before leaving the field, Vinícius made sure he was part of the night's most controversial moment. The Brazilian picked up a yellow card following a heated confrontation with Atlético manager Diego "Cholo" Simeone.

The spark for the incident reportedly came from the Atlético bench, where Simeone appeared to mock and provoke the winger. Vinícius did not take the taunts lightly, reacting angrily and forcing the referee to intervene. The clash highlighted the ongoing tension between the Brazilian star and the Atlético camp, even as his team celebrated a crucial victory.

Watch the altercation between Vini Jr. and Simeone here

The brazilian's bad streak

It is also possible that the crowd’s reproach of Vinícius Júnior against Betis on Sunday was influenced by his recent form. The Brazilian winger has now gone 18 matches without scoring, with his last goal coming on October 4 against Villarreal, leaving him with just five goals in the first half of the season. A situation that has pleased neither his manager nor the fans who fill the Santiago Bernabéu every two weeks.

Vinícius’ next challenge — and his chance to turn around his poor run — will come against FC Barcelona on Sunday, January 11, when the two sides meet in the Spanish Super Cup final in Saudi Arabia. A high-profile clash against a top opponent that offers the Brazilian an ideal opportunity to redeem himself both personally and in the eyes of the fans.