Miguel Serrano Explains Vinicius’ Decline and Real Madrid’s Biggest Problem

Miguel Serrano has offered a blunt assessment of Vinicius Junior’s recent struggles, arguing that the Brazilian winger has declined as a player over the past few years.

The Spanish journalist believes Vinicius’ current difficulties cannot be viewed in isolation, pointing to a broader issue that has affected Real Madrid since the departures of Toni Kroos, Luka Modrić and Karim Benzema.

Serrano: Vinicius has gone backwards

Speaking about the Brazilian’s current situation, Serrano argued that Vinicius has not maintained the same level he previously reached.

“Vinicius has declined in his game in recent years,” Serrano said, according to Defensa Central.

His comments come during a difficult start to the season for the Real Madrid forward. Recent Spanish reporting has highlighted a significant drop in his attacking output, with Vinicius scoring only once in his first eight appearances of the campaign.

Serrano has previously been particularly critical of the Brazilian, even arguing that José Mourinho should be willing to leave him on the bench when his performances do not meet expectations.

Real Madrid have lost too much talent

However, Serrano believes the problem extends beyond Vinicius.

The journalist pointed to the departures of three legendary figures — Kroos, Modrić and Benzema — and argued that Madrid have not adequately replaced the quality they provided.

“The problem with Madrid is that they have lost a lot of talent since Kroos, Modric and Benzema left, and they haven’t restored it,” Serrano explained.

Kroos and Modrić provided much of the team’s control and creativity from midfield, while Benzema played a central role in Madrid’s attacking structure for years.

Their departures have inevitably changed the team’s profile. The challenge of replacing that influence has also been discussed in Spanish football media, particularly regarding the absence of a midfielder capable of offering the control associated with Kroos. Serrano himself has previously argued that Madrid still need a player with that type of profile.

Vinicius is not the only factor

There are also signs that Madrid’s current attacking problems cannot simply be attributed to one player.

Recent analysis has pointed to several possible factors behind Vinicius’ reduced impact, including his relationship with Kylian Mbappé, his current form and his contribution without the ball.

AS has also reported that Vinicius recognizes that his performances have fallen below the level he expects from himself and that he needs to respond after a difficult period.

That makes Serrano’s argument particularly relevant: Madrid’s current situation may involve both an individual decline in form and a broader squad-building issue.

Madrid still have to find the missing pieces

Vinicius remains one of the most important attacking players in the squad, but his current form has placed greater attention on how Mourinho structures the team around him and Mbappé.

At the same time, Madrid continue to search for the qualities lost with some of the club’s most influential players of the previous era.

For Serrano, restoring that lost talent is central to the bigger picture. His argument is that Real Madrid cannot simply expect Vinicius or Mbappé to solve every attacking problem on their own.

The coming months will show whether Vinicius can rediscover his best form — and whether Mourinho’s squad can compensate for the qualities Madrid lost when three of the defining players of the previous generation moved on.