In the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-final tie, Real Madrid secured a 2-0 victory over Chelsea at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday night. The goals came from Karim Benzema and Marcos Asensio, assisted by Vinicius Junior.
The Brazilian forward was the standout player of the match, and from the beginning, he showed the Chelsea defenders that he would be challenging to contain. Wesley Fofana and Reece James struggled to stop him, and Vinicius was involved in the build-up of both Real Madrid goals.
Although Vinicius did not score, he shot three times on target and was denied by Kepa Arrizabalaga. Since his debut in Europe in November 2018, the Brazilian’s figures have been impressive. He has recorded 14 assists in the Champions League, with only Kylian Mbappe managing more (19) than him.
In the same period, Vinicius completed the third most dribbles (109) after Lionel Messi and Neymar while also being fourth in fouls received (68) and fifth in touches in the opposition area (274).
Vinicius has become an integral part of Real Madrid’s attacking unit this season, and his performance against Chelsea highlighted his importance to the team. He has been a key figure in their recent run of good form, which has seen them climb to the top of La Liga.
His ability to take on defenders and create chances for his teammates has been crucial, and his partnership with Benzema has been particularly effective. The two forwards have combined for 17 goals in La Liga this season, with Vinicius providing six assists.
Real Madrid’s victory over Chelsea means they have never been knocked out of the Champions League by an English team. They will be looking to build on this result in the second leg at Stamford Bridge next week.
Vinicius will undoubtedly be a key player in that game, and his ability to create opportunities for his teammates could prove decisive. If he can continue to perform at the level he has been this season, Real Madrid will be confident of reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League.