Vinicius and Mbappe's Momentum to Prove Against Real Madrid's "Kryptonite"

MADRID, SATURDAY – Facing Rayo Vallecano at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium on Sunday (9/3/2025) at 10:15 PM WIB has become another concern for Real Madrid. In the previous three encounters, "Los Blancos" consistently failed to secure a victory. Rayo has seemingly become a potent "kryptonite" for Carlo Ancelotti's squad. Coincidentally, the performances of Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior have been criticized by Fabio Capello, the former Real coach.

The criticism can be used as motivation for Vinicius and Mbappe to perform well when hosting Rayo. Although Rayo is not a major team, Real has always struggled to secure a win against them in recent times. The last three meetings have all ended in draws.

Vinicius, one of Real's key forwards, has never scored a goal in the last three encounters against Rayo. Since joining Real in 2018, Vinicius has faced Rayo seven times. Out of those seven meetings, he has only managed to provide two assists. In the first meeting of this season at Rayo's home ground, Vinicius was unable to contribute much.

Apart from Vinicius's sharpness, which seemed to vanish when facing Rayo, his performance alongside Real's new striker, Kylian Mbappe, is currently receiving criticism from Capello. The coach, who managed Real during the 2006 to 2007 period, opined that their presence in Real's attacking line is not very effective. Vinicius tends to operate on the left side of the attack, as does Mbappe when he was still playing for Paris Saint-Germain.

"Mbappe and Vinicius played in the same position. They attacked each other and didn't perform well. They managed to do what no one else could do in tight spaces, in a game that no one thought about. But it was not a harmonious game. This is a team with great players up front, with problems in midfield after (Toni) Kroos left, and problems in defense due to injuries," Capello said, as quoted by Mundo Deportivo.

Capello is not the only person who shares this opinion. Several media outlets in Spain have also highlighted Mbappe, who experienced a slow start since joining Real this season. As a compromise, Ancelotti placed Vinicius in his favored position, the left wing, while Mbappe was shifted to play more centrally as a striker.

Slowly but surely, Mbappe began to get used to his new role. His goal tap that had been blocked is now starting to flow again. Mbappe even became the star of Real's victory over Manchester City by scoring a hat trick.

Even so, Capello remains steadfast in his view. His point of criticism is the "twin suns" on Real's front line. Although Vinicius or Mbappe may perform well, the two are considered to negate each other, meaning they cannot shine together.

They work hard and fight. They don't show the quality they have, but they have the ability to do it.

The match against Rayo could be a momentum for Vinicius and Mbappe to destroy the criticism. Moreover, Real has always had difficulties every time they meet Rayo. Vinicius and Mbappe must be spurred to show their best performance together to silence Capello's criticism.

Capello's criticism is likely to be fueled by Mbappe and Vinicius' below-par performances when Real faced Atletico Madrid in the last 16 of the Champions League, a match that Real won 2-1 thanks to goals from Rodrygo and Brahim Diaz.

Ancelotti admitted that Vinicius and Mbappe were not at their best at that time. However, he praised their performance in being willing to come down more to help the defense.

“Playing against Atletico’s defence is not easy. We didn’t have many chances. They worked hard and fought. They didn’t show the quality they have, but they have the ability to do it. Defensively, they did well and when they got into good positions, they allowed the midfielders to get closer to the back line and help the defence,” said Ancelotti.

Meanwhile, Rayo Vallecano defender Florian Lejeune does not want to be caught off guard by the declining performance of Mbappe and Vinicius. For him, they are still two dangerous players who must be guarded in layers.

Despite not losing to Real in their last three meetings, Rayo's players are in a less than ideal morale after failing to win their previous three league games. "I think in the end, you have to keep the same way to keep playing and competing because sooner or later something positive will come," he said. (REUTERS)