Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti is hopeful of having Vinícius Junior available for the upcoming Champions League match against Atalanta.
The team’s performance has been underwhelming lately, with results far from ideal. Ancelotti, visibly concerned about his team’s struggles, had some good news amidst the challenges: their most reliable forward, Vinícius Junior, is on the brink of returning from injury.
Vinícius played the full match in Real’s 3-0 victory over Leganés in La Liga on November 24, even assisting Kylian Mbappé for the opening goal. However, there was no indication of any injury during the game.
The following day, Real Madrid announced through a statement that Vinícius had sustained a muscle injury in his leg. Since then, the Brazilian star has been sidelined. Without him, the team has struggled, losing two of their last three matches, including a 2-0 defeat to Liverpool in the Champions League and a 2-1 loss to Athletic Bilbao in La Liga. Their sole victory during this period came with a 2-0 win over Getafe.
Real will face Girona in La Liga on Saturday, but Ancelotti shared encouraging updates about Vinícius during Friday’s press conference.
“It’s great to see Vinícius (recovering from injury). This will give us extra motivation,” Ancelotti said.
“He has recovered well. He won’t be available for tomorrow’s match, but he will be ready for the next Champions League game.”
Reports suggest both Vinícius and David Alaba participated in training on Friday. While Ancelotti confirmed Vinícius is likely to return for Tuesday’s match against Atalanta, he mentioned that Austrian defender Alaba will need more time.
“Alaba is showing good progress in training. However, he’ll need about another month to be ready for competitive matches,” Ancelotti added.
“He will continue working individually throughout December and gradually integrate with the team. But his return is set for next year.”
Real Madrid’s current form is a cause for concern. The team has lost four of their last seven matches across all competitions. In La Liga, they sit second, trailing Barcelona by four points but with a game in hand.
Their situation in the Champions League is even more precarious. The defending champions have lost three of their five group-stage matches, winning only twice. With six points, they occupy 24th place and barely hold onto the final playoff qualification spot.
Despite the poor form, Ancelotti remains optimistic and has faith in his squad, believing they will bounce back soon.
“I’m worried, which is natural, but it’s not over yet. We’re still fighting in all competitions,” Ancelotti said.
“We understand our problems, but we must stay optimistic because we have a quality squad. We haven’t played at our best, but we’re confident that sooner or later, we’ll show our true potential.”
One of the biggest disappointments this season has been Kylian Mbappé, who joined Real Madrid from PSG but has yet to make a significant impact. Mbappé missed a penalty against Liverpool in the Champions League and failed again from the spot during Wednesday’s loss to Athletic Bilbao.
Ancelotti, however, is not overly concerned about the French forward, insisting that Mbappé is giving his all to regain top form.
“He knows (he’s not at his best). Of course, we are supporting him. He’s not performing at his peak, but he’s aware of it and is trying his best to improve as quickly as possible,” Ancelotti said.
“We need to support him, but that doesn’t mean he has to play every match.”
