Real Madrid head coach Xabi Alonso praised Vinícius Júnior after the Brazilian produced another masterclass in Los Blancos’ 3–1 victory over Villarreal at the Santiago Bernabéu on LaLiga matchday eight. The winger scored twice and tormented the visitors’ defense all evening, earning plaudits from both teammates and his manager.
Alonso told reporters after the match.
We wanted to end this cycle of games on a high note with today’s victory. Vini played a very good game and had a decisive performance, not just because of the goals but because of the constant threat he posed. I like it when I see him smiling and enjoying himself. He came close to a hat-trick and really deserved it.
The Real Madrid boss, who has constantly been balancing the team amid the recovery of key players like Bellingham, who just claimed another personal milestone by winning England’s Player of the Year award, stressed the importance of teamwork during this packed schedule. He aslo said:
When he comes back, with two more weeks of training, he’ll be better every day and he’ll be important for the October phase. We now have that time because we’ve lost a lot of the pre-season. We have a busy schedule ahead of us with Getafe, Juve, Barcelona..
Vini Jr., beaming with confidence after the game, said:
It was a tough match, but I’m very happy to win again at the Bernabéu. Hopefully, we can keep improving step by step because it’s a long season. I want to carry on like this to help the team.
Meanwhile, Alonso’s men seem to be gathering momentum just before the international break. With Barcelona preparing for El Clásico, dealing with their own setbacks as Flick recently offered an injury update on Lamine Yamal ahead of the clash with Real Madrid.
A video of Vini Jr. passing a message to Real Madrid fans with full excitement was posted on Real Madrid’s official X account.
Watch video below:
Defender Carreras and midfielder Tchouaméni also spoke after the match, both highlighting Madrid’s intensity and togetherness. Tchouaméni, who marked his 100th LaLiga appearance, said:
We wanted to win before the break, and we did. I’m proud to keep playing for the best club in the world.
Real Madrid now head into the international break in strong form — led once again by the brilliance and joy of Vinícius Júnior.
