Vinícius Júnior has been granted time off by Real Madrid and will not participate in Saturday’s LaLiga match against Athletic Club, as confirmed by sources to ESPN. The star forward is expected to report directly to Brazil national team duty ahead of the upcoming World Cup.
Barcelona, Madrid’s rivals, have already secured the championship, boasting an 11-point lead as the final round of matches approaches this weekend. With Madrid guaranteed to finish second, there is little at stake in their game at the Bernabéu.
Real Madrid announced that Vinícius did not practice on Thursday “with the club’s permission, for personal reasons.”
Vinícius is set to return to training next week when players selected by national team coach Carlo Ancelotti report to the CBF training center in Granja Comary, located in Teresópolis, near Rio de Janeiro.
The Brazilian squad is scheduled to arrive on May 27, just four days prior to a friendly match against Panama.
They will then head to the United States on June 1, with Brazil’s World Cup opener taking place on June 13 against Morocco at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
This season, Vinícius has tallied 22 goals and 10 assists across 53 matches, although he was unable to help his team secure a major trophy.
The first half of his season was marred by issues with former coach Xabi Alonso, who was dismissed in January, but performance improved following the hiring of Álvaro Arbeloa.
It remains to be seen how Vinícius will fare under Arbeloa’s successor, José Mourinho, who has reportedly verbally agreed to take over at the Bernabéu.
The forward is under contract for another year, extending until June 2027. According to ESPN, Vinícius’ camp plans to discuss a new contract only after the World Cup.
Negotiations for a renewal nearly reached an agreement in May 2025, but they subsequently stalled.
While the club remains optimistic about securing a deal, one source indicated that Vinícius’ approach during negotiations has not impressed Madrid executives, who are displeased with how talks collapsed in May of the previous year.