Vinicius Junior determined to rediscover his best form after Real Madrid struggles | OneFootball

Vinicius Junior has remained one of the main talking points at Real Madrid during the opening stretch of the 2026-27 season, but not for good reason. The Brazilian forward has struggled to get to his best form, and continues to underwhelm with his performances.

So far, he has scored only a single goal in eight appearances, though he has also provided three assists. However, it is clear that the forward’s influence in games could be significantly higher, and he is nowhere near his best level.

His performance against Atletico Madrid was particularly worrisome, as he lasted only 54 minutes in one of the most important games of the season. Even in those 54 minutes, he remained almost invisible, completing only one dribble, eight passes, two shots (both off-target), and only 22 touches.

In such a context, Diario AS reports that Vinicius himself recognizes that he is currently far from his best level, and the derby has particularly pushed him to stop and reflect on his situation. For now, he is driven to turn things around.

Currently, the forward is with the Brazilian national team, and will visit Australia and India during this break. Carlo Ancelotti is looking to reconcile his team with the fans, and Vinicius Junior will also have to do something similar with Merengue fans, who are fast losing their patience with him, especially as Yan Diomande has proven to be another capable option for the left wing.

For his part, Jose Mourinho is also confident that he will be able to get the Brazilian back to his best level. However, his starting spot is not guaranteed, something that was clear from his substitution during the Atletico Madrid game, as the Portuguese coach decided to take him off with the game still at 1-0, and was yet to be decided.

Vinicius and Mourinho share a very good relationship, and thus, things are different from last year, when the forward was in an open fight with his coach, Xabi Alonso. Going forward, it remains to be seen whether he will be able to improve his form or whether his coach will have to take some drastic measures for the sake of the team.