Are the warning lights flashing for Vinícius Junior?
On high of his current show of petulance at Actual Madrid, are there grounds for the concern, expressed by main Brazilian journalist Marcelo Barreto, that the star is caught up in a spiral of “Neymar-ization?”
Brazil supervisor Carlo Ancelotti is unflustered. “His private life is his personal,” the previous Madrid coach mentioned as he known as up the squad for the approaching friendlies in opposition to Senegal and Tunisia.
“I’m not his father. I’m not his brother. I simply need to be his coach.”
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The truth that Ancelotti is filling that function with the nationwide group is to not everybody’s liking. Final week, the CBF, Brazil’s governing physique, staged an occasion for native coaches, which Ancelotti attended. And his presence did nothing to clean the tone of discontent from the previous guard. Former Brazil goalkeeper and coach Émerson Leão made it clear.
“I’ve at all times mentioned that I don’t like international coaches in my nation,” he mentioned. “And I haven’t modified my thoughts.”
However Ancelotti remained unflustered. Certainly, the general public feedback have solely served to extend his reputation in Brazil, boosted by the makes an attempt he makes to talk Portuguese and the cautious respect he pays to the home membership recreation.
He’s additionally properly conscious that, particularly with the Brazil nationwide group, he’s in a results-based enterprise. Success is successful subsequent yr’s World Cup, and failure is the rest; therefore, the significance of the continued relationship with Vinícius. On the subject of the current incident at Actual Madrid, Ancelotti disclosed that he had spoken to the participant.
“Vinícius informed me what he thought, which was that he had made a mistake, and plainly he apologized,” he mentioned. “So I imagine that the matter has been sorted out.”
And this explicit incident at Actual Madrid would, on the face of it, not appear fully related to the Brazilian context. As a result of it absolutely has to do with Kylian Mbappé.
After Actual Madrid misplaced Karim Benzema, Ancelotti responded by working laborious with Vinícius on attacking the house within the penalty space. The participant mentioned that it was the very best season of his profession, the one wherein he developed loads. And, for a second time, he helped Actual to the UEFA Champions League title.
Then, in comes Mbappé. For all of Ancelotti’s know-how, balancing out the facet proved tougher. And with the brand new man additionally liking to drag out towards the left facet, accommodating Mbappé, along with Vinícius, has not been easy. With the Xabi Alonso regime seeming to position Mbappé above Vinícius within the membership’s pecking order, the seeds for discontent have been sown.
Mbappé, after all, just isn’t going to play for Brazil. The identical ego battle is not going to reproduce itself in Ancelotti’s present dressing room. Even so, Brazil’s wily previous coach had seen a possible drawback.
Earlier than final month’s FIFA dates, Ancelotti made an interesting declaration. “All of us have to consider a transparent goal,” he mentioned, “which is successful the World Cup, and to not be chosen as the very best participant on the planet.”
There appears little doubt that this was aimed toward Vinícius. The winger didn’t reply properly to ending behind Rodri in final yr’s Ballon d’Or vote, and the fallout damage the Brazil facet, then coached by Dorival Junior.
It price the group two factors within the match away to Venezuela. Brazil have been awarded a penalty, and Raphinha had scored twice from the spot within the earlier recreation and was the pure taker. However Dorival had launched into the marketing campaign that noticed Vinícius because the sufferer of an injustice. A objective would assist reinforce the case, so Vinícius stepped up and missed the penalty. The sport completed as a 1-1 draw.
Ancelotti is not going to fall into this lure. He needs a bunch chasing collective slightly than particular person glory, and this imposes a sure burden of sacrifice on his ahead gamers. The Italian will assemble his group in a quest to get the very best out of Vinícius.
Earlier than he took over, Vinícius was normally positioned broad on the left. It was too predictable. When he acquired the ball, the opposing protection was ready for him. Simply as of their glory season at Actual Madrid, Ancelotti needs Vinícius to roam round, to search out little pockets of house nearer to the opposing objective. This has at occasions entailed the usage of a entrance 4, with Gabriel Martinelli or Rodrygo usually used exterior Vinícius on the left flank.
The apparent drawback right here is that the midfield will be left in need of cowl, undermanned with simply Bruno Guimarães and veteran Casemiro to carry the middle. There’s an intrinsic hazard of falling into the lure of Dorival Junior’s ultimate recreation in cost, a disastrous 4-1 defeat to Argentina, the place having 4 up entrance left the facet with no stability.
For the system to work, then, these entrance gamers should be keen to run again and assist out the midfield. This has not at all times been the very best a part of Vinícius’ recreation. Within the final World Cup, he was withdrawn early within the fateful quarterfinal in opposition to Croatia exactly as a result of his urgent and his work off the ball have been discovered wanting in opposition to an opponent so expert at manipulating possession.
Ancelotti’s light little poke clearly labored. Proper after the coach made it clear that he had no time for particular person glory hunters, Vinícius and firm gave a superb show, bringing South Korea’s lengthy unbeaten run to an finish with a thumping 5-0 win.
“It was a whole group recreation,” Ancelotti mentioned afterward. “We performed properly with and with out the ball, and the dedication was superb.”
Vinícius labored properly, loved himself within the assault, and was rewarded with the ultimate objective of the rout.
Even so, questions have been nonetheless left hanging, particularly a couple of days later when Brazil let a two-goal lead slip and went right down to a 3-2 defeat to Japan. True, Ancelotti fielded a reserve protection, however in concept, the group ought to have been extra strong, with Matheus Cunha left on the bench and Lucas Paquetá coming in because the third man in midfield.
Will Brazil actually be capable to preserve enjoying 4 up entrance within the excessive warmth of subsequent yr’s World Cup? It’s a honest query.
In final yr’s Copa América, there was a transparent development towards fielding three in central midfield. Are too many calls for being made on Casemiro? Recalling the Manchester United midfielder was Ancelotti’s opening act as Brazil coach. It has given construction to the group and has freed Guimarães to point out one thing nearer to his finest type.
However Casemiro turns 34 in February and tends to select up playing cards. He missed the 2018 World Cup quarterfinal in opposition to Belgium by way of suspension, and subsequent yr, these legs will likely be eight years older.
Brazil got here out of final month’s FIFA dates with no clear Casemiro substitute in sight. They’ve since discovered one, recalling former Liverpool midfielder Fabinho, who has been based mostly in Saudi Arabia for 2 and a half years. Inspiration or desperation? The following few days will certainly present some proof, as a result of if he doesn’t function this Saturday in opposition to Senegal, Fabinho will certainly see some motion in opposition to Tunisia the next Tuesday.
Ancelotti, Vinícius, Casemiro, Éder Militão and Rodrygo — it could as properly appear to be a Actual Madrid reunion in that Brazil dressing room. Can all of it click on with the identical success as when Don Carlo was the gum-chewing grasp of the Bernabéu?