(Reuters) – According to manager Carlo Ancelotti, winger Vinicius Jr has regained his top form and played a crucial role in Real Madrid’s 2-1 Champions League victory over Sporting Braga. The 23-year-old Brazilian international, who assisted Jude Bellingham’s goal, was named man of the match as Madrid maintained their three-point lead at the top of Group C.
After suffering a hamstring injury in August and being out of action for a month, Vinicius Jr has made a strong comeback. Ancelotti praised his performance, stating, “He’s back to his best. He got the goal, which was ruled out by the narrowest of margins, and he made two assists for Rodrygo and Bellingham. He’s back, and he’s back in form. He made the difference today.”
Ancelotti also highlighted the effective partnership between Bellingham and Vinicius Jr, both on and off the ball. While acknowledging the need for improvement, the manager commended their teamwork, saying, “They work really well together with the ball and without it. We have to improve there, but they’re both doing a great job.”
Furthermore, Ancelotti emphasized the significance of the upcoming match against arch-rivals Barcelona. Real Madrid, the 14-time Champions League winners and current LaLiga leaders with 25 points from 10 matches, will face Barcelona, who are just one point behind in third place. Ancelotti stressed the importance of winning the match, stating, “After this game, we know exactly what we need to do — everything we can to win it. We have time to get ready for it. We’re heading into this incredibly important game full of excitement.”
Reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare in Bengaluru; editing by Miral Fahmy
