Although the Frenchman was unable to score, he made an exhibition with the Brazilian who sent shock waves around the world of football.
Real Madrid achieved a compound 2-0 win against Girona at home, won without unnecessary spectacle but with efficiency. The Scoreline could have been decisive if the team had been sharper in attack – they registered 22 shots, but there were only five on goal.
More than half of those efforts (12) came from Vinícius and Mbappé, the dynamic attacking duo that feeds Ancelotti's ambitions for the rest of the season.
It was not a match where both their entire target prowns presented – only Vinícius thought it was just, and even that came late in the game. However, their performance meant problems for future opponents in both Spain and Europe.
Mbappé-Vini JR: A scary link-up
Mbappé in particular has endured a frustrating evening. He was unable to take advantage of the scoreless outing of Lewandowski against Las Palmas, and missed the chance to close the gap in the race for the top scorer of the competition. The Polish striker remains in the lead with 20 goals, while Mbappé is at the age of 17. The Frenchman took six shots, three of which were on goal, but every time he was refused by Gazzaniga.
His best chance to make the score at 3-0, came after a perfectly controlled arrangement, but his left-wing strike missed precision and went directly to the goalkeeper. Nevertheless, his general contribution was impressive – he created five clear opportunities, registered an expected goals (XG) count of 0.93 (the highest in the match) and Vinícius assisted for Madrid's second goal.
That goal came in the second half, during a counterattack initiated from the left flank. Mbappé played a well -timed by ball to Vinícius, who unleashed a shot that, after bending a defender, found his way in the net.
The Brazilian had been active during the competition and recorded six shots (one on goal and another that hit the bar). He also completed two successful dribbles from four attempts, although his many explosive runs – one of his trademarks – were not counted in those statistics.
Interestingly, Mbappé performed better than Vinicius JR in Dribbling-Efficiency, which completed three take-ons from five attempts. Both players were exceptional on the ball, with Mbappé particularly noticeable – he completed 91% of his passes (52 out of 57), while Vinícius registered 81% (29 out of 36).
“I saw Vinícius at his best, he was unstoppable”
Their chemistry on the field is a work in progress this season. Initially they struggled to exist next to each other on the left flank, with Mbappé somewhat uncomfortable that led the attack. After a while and adjustments, however, their partnership has been flourished enormously, so Madrid benefited enormously. Together they combined for 45 goals (28 for Mbappé, 17 for Vinícius) and 16 assists (four and 12 respectively).
Mbappé had already demonstrated his sparkle with a hat trick against Manchester City in the Champions League, and although he did not score this time, Ancelotti still praised his performance: “I was happy with the assist he gave Vinícius. He was very dangerous several times. His ball control was spectacular. What is important to him, his victories. '
As far as Vinícius is concerned, it seems that he is regaining his best form. Ancelotti was just happy with his display: “I saw Vinícius at his best. He could have been more clinical, but he could not be stopped in the second half. Every time he had the ball, he made the right decisions. He played at his true level. '
Original article written by Manu de Juan, translated with the help of AI and edited by Joe Brennan.
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