Vinícius Júnior is set to undergo evaluation before Saturday’s LaLiga match against Mallorca. This comes after Álvaro Arbeloa remarked that the Brazilian winger “hasn’t received adequate rest” under his previous Madrid coach, Carlo Ancelotti.
Vinícius played the entire 90 minutes in Brazil’s 2-1 defeat to France last Thursday and contributed 67 minutes in a 3-1 victory over Croatia on Wednesday, with both matches held in the U.S.
With the Champions League quarterfinal against Bayern Munich scheduled for Tuesday, Arbeloa intends to be cautious with his star forward, who was in exceptional form prior to the international break, scoring two goals in consecutive games against Manchester City and Atlético Madrid.
“He’s fatigued because my friend Carlo hasn’t given him much time to rest, which is typical,” Arbeloa stated. “The expectations at Real Madrid and for Brazil are daunting.”
“Vini has faced a demanding schedule with many matches. He hasn’t had a break, and we’ll assess his condition today before making our decision.”
In contrast, Jude Bellingham did not participate in either friendly for England, despite his call-up by Thomas Tuchel.
According to Marca, a Spanish media outlet, Real Madrid expressed dissatisfaction with the treatment Bellingham received and would have preferred he stayed in Spain to focus on regaining his fitness after a recent hamstring injury.
However, Arbeloa addressed the situation on Friday:
“Bellingham’s situation was unique. He played a few minutes against Atlético on March 22, but his [national] manager opted not to use him to avoid risking injury.
“Jude is capable of having productive training sessions. It’s not a concern for me that he didn’t play; he’s going to be a crucial player, and returning to peak form requires game time.”
“He’s been sidelined for an extended period, so we must proceed cautiously.”
On a positive note, Brazilian defender Éder Militão has returned to training during the break and could make his first appearance since December.
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“When fit, he’s the best center-back in the world,” Arbeloa commented. “It’s like having two players on the field with him. He’s intelligent, a leader, and can change the game. I’m thrilled with his return.”
As Real Madrid prepares to face Mallorca, they find themselves four points behind rivals Barcelona, who will be playing against Atlético Madrid later on Saturday.
Madrid enjoyed a five-match winning streak before the international break and will be eager to maintain their momentum.
“We have nine crucial matches left in LaLiga, and there’s no room for error in any competition, whether in LaLiga or the Champions League,” Arbeloa emphasized.
“Our focus is solely on Mallorca. It’s a challenging game, and the situation has raised numerous alarms for me. When spring arrives, Real Madrid excels.”
Mallorca sits dangerously close to the relegation zone, having lost five of their last seven matches, including a recent 2-1 defeat to Elche.