Vinicius Keeps Proving Xabi Alonso Was Right About Him After All

Vinicius Junior is struggling again at Real Madrid, and his difficult start to the season is bringing Xabi Alonso’s controversial decisions back into the spotlight. The Brazilian’s current form has revived questions over whether Alonso was right to bench him more often.

Vinicius Junior’s difficult start to the season has reopened an old debate at Real Madrid — and, according to The Real Champs, it is making Xabi Alonso’s approach to the Brazilian look increasingly justified.

During Alonso’s time in charge, Vinicius was not always an automatic starter. The former Real Madrid manager occasionally left him on the bench or substituted him during matches, decisions that quickly became a major talking point around the club.

The situation reached its most dramatic point during El Clásico, when Vinicius reacted angrily to being substituted. The incident became one of the defining moments of Alonso’s tenure and contributed to the growing tension surrounding the manager and the player.

Vinicius is struggling again

Fast-forward to the current season and Vinicius is once again going through a difficult spell.

According to The Real Champs, the Brazilian had registered just one goal and three assists in his first eight appearances, while his overall performances had also fallen below the level expected of him.

That has made the comparison with Alonso impossible to ignore.

The argument from The Real Champs is that Alonso may have recognized earlier that Vinicius was not performing at his best and therefore felt justified in rotating him, taking him off or leaving him out of the starting XI.

The reasoning was not necessarily a punishment. In some cases, Alonso also appeared to be managing Vinicius’ workload and trying to ensure the forward remained fresh for the most important moments.

Mourinho has taken a completely different approach

José Mourinho has so far shown considerably more faith in Vinicius.

The Portuguese coach has continued to select the Brazilian despite his inconsistent performances, giving him a prominent role in the attack and publicly backing him.

That approach contrasts sharply with Alonso’s handling of the situation. Mundo Deportivo recently noted that Vinicius has received significantly more continuity under Mourinho, starting seven of the team’s opening matches and playing 598 of a possible 630 minutes at the time of its report. Despite that increased playing time, his output remained below his previous level.

That does not necessarily mean Mourinho is making the wrong decision, but it does highlight how differently the two coaches have handled the same player.

Was Alonso right about Vinicius?

That is ultimately the question being raised again.

Alonso’s decision to rotate Vinicius was highly controversial at the time, particularly because the Brazilian is one of Real Madrid’s biggest stars. But his current struggles provide some support for the argument that even elite players sometimes need to be taken out of the firing line when their performances drop.

There is also evidence that Alonso valued Vinicius’ contribution when the Brazilian was performing well. During the 2025 Club World Cup, Alonso specifically praised Vinicius for his defensive sacrifice, saying his work without the ball helped Real Madrid maintain their structure while giving him greater freedom in attack.

The difference now is that Mourinho has chosen continuity rather than competition for Vinicius’ position.

For the Brazilian, the challenge is straightforward: rediscover the form that made him one of the most decisive players in world football.

If he manages to do that, the debate surrounding Alonso’s treatment of him will quickly fade. If his struggles continue, however, the decisions Alonso made last season will inevitably be examined in a very different light.