Vinicius Junior will be under close scrutiny when Real Madrid face AEK Athens in the Champions League on 04 November 2026, with the Brazilian returning to a city where he produced one of his finest performances last season.
The winger scored no goals in that visit, but played a decisive role as Real Madrid beat Olympiacos 4-3 in Athens on 26 November 2025. Vinicius created two goals for Kylian Mbappe, including one after an outstanding dribble past defender Panagiotis Retsos.
Almost a year on, Vinicius is under pressure to rediscover that level of performance. His recent form has fallen short of expectations, while his absence for four La Liga matches through suspension has made the Champions League an important opportunity to respond.
Diomande increases competition
The pressure on Vinicius has grown because Diomande has emerged as a serious rival for a place in the starting line-up.
The Ivory Coast player has scored in three of his past four appearances, finding the net against Sevilla, Leipzig and Racing. He also impressed against Barcelona in the El Clasico, despite not scoring.
Jose Mourinho made the competition for places clear when asked about Vinicius. He said any player who wanted to keep an undisputed starting position had to prove his value through his level and performances on the pitch.
Numbers highlight Vinicius’ struggles
According to a report by Spanish newspaper AS, the decline in Vinicius’ output is particularly evident in his dribbling and finishing statistics.
Vinicius completes one successful dribble every 28 minutes, compared with one every 25 minutes for Mbappe. Diomande has been more effective in that area, managing a successful dribble every 17 minutes.
The difference is also apparent in front of goal. Vinicius required 27 shots to score his only goal, against Real Sociedad in August. Jude Bellingham scored four times from the same number of attempts.
Arda Guler has scored three goals from 25 shots, while Diomande has converted four of his 17 efforts. The figures underline the contrasting attacking efficiency of the players.
Despite Vinicius’ difficulties, Real Madrid and Mourinho continue to regard him as one of the team’s key players and are working to help him return to his usual form. There is also a belief that the team can find a way to use both players effectively, particularly because Diomande can operate on the right wing.
For Vinicius, the immediate challenge is to recreate the impact he had on his previous trip to Athens, when he was Real Madrid’s main attacking threat. Competition for a starting place at the club is now stronger than ever.
