Real Madrid have a Vini Jr problem - and it's not because of his attitude

Real Madrid have a Vinicius Jr problem - and it's not because of his attitude Make us your Google favourite Vinicius Jr made headlines when he appeared to snub Jose Mourinho after Real Madrid 's defeat to Real Betis, but his performances should arguably be more concerning than his attitude. Mourinho suffered the first defeat of his second tenure at Los Blancos on Friday, when his troops were downed by Troy Parrott and Real Betis. The Madrid side were unlucky to come away from the game empty-handed, so the reaction to this defeat has been somewhat overblown. Real Madrid are not in crisis - at least not yet. However, there is a potential headache brewing for Mourinho. After the match, a video went viral on social media of Vinicius briskly walking past the manager when he attempted to talk to him. It was somewhat reminiscent of last season when the Brazil international failed to see eye-to-eye with Xabi Alonso, which eventually contributed to the latter's sacking. Mourinho is a different beast and won't tolerate this behaviour . Vinicius' attitude is therefore the least of Jose's concerns. What should really give him pause is the fact that the 26-year-old has been far from his scintillating best so far in this nascent season. Vinicius looks off the pace A goal and two assists in four matches is far from a terrible return, but that should not paper over the fact that Vinicius' overall performances have not been at the level we know he can reach. Ever since that infamous 2024 Ballon d'Or snub, Vinicius has struggled to maintain a consistently high performance level. He bagged 22 goals and produced 14 assists last term, but there were plenty of games where he went missing. Indeed, it seems as though the Brazilian has become a mere highlights player. He impresses in moments but struggles to actively influence games over the full 90 minutes. He is no longer as relentless as he once was. Perhaps this is simply fatigue that comes with getting older. Given the physical demands of being a winger, it is not unusual for players in that position to peak earlier and lose their explosiveness when they enter their late 20s. Mental exhaustion may play a part as well. Vinicius had a tumultuous summer, with Brazil enduring a torrid World Cup and a contract saga casting doubt on his future and leading to spectacular links with Arsenal. There is also the tactical aspect, of course. Vinicius and Kylian Mbappe still look an awkward attacking pairing, with both players preferring to play on the left. While the latter is unpopular with the club's fans, it is Vinicius who increasingly looks like the odd one out, at least when it comes to the performances on the pitch. Mbappe didn't cover himself in glory against Betis, it must be said, but he is usually the more reliable of the two. This was also pointed out by pundits Phil Kitromilides and Sid Lowe on . "I thought he was again way off the pace," Kitromilides said of Vinicius. "Could not get past Hector Bellerin. "He looked sluggish. Again. He doesn't have that spark, that physical explosivity that you very much relate with him. I think Mbappe and [Jude] Bellingham have a little bit of credit for how they have started this season. Vinicius has had three really poor showings and then this again in a defeat." Lowe concurred and pointed out the "curious contradiction" that, despite struggling, Vinicius won the last-minute penalty that Mbappe missed and provided the, albeit poor, cross that Carlos Espi converted for his disallowed goal. It is similar to last season, when poor performances were too often masked by "moments." Lowe added: "He doesn't look physically right, but I also think there is a footballing element to this. I still think he hasn't quite found his place." Lowe then drew attention to Mourinho's post-match comments in which he suggested that bringing on Espi late in games "unlocks" Mbappe because it allows the Frenchman to drift out to the left. The obvious conclusion, then, is to suggest that Real Madrid might be better off with Espi starting and Vinicius dropping out of the team. But of course it isn't that simple. Vinicius is pretty much undroppable - he is one of Mourinho's "untouchables," after all. However, if the Brazilian keeps up this indifferent form, Mourinho will be left with a major decision to make.