noise takes its toll

Vinicius dances less and less. It is a theory that could be easily explained with a simple graph: the more noise, the less performance. Inevitable, almost logical. One is distracted by inertia. Vinicius’s life has been uproarious since day one: ‘it’s not worth that money’, ‘he misses all the ones he has’, ‘he’s not a good dribbler’… and now, ‘he’s a provocateur’. He has grown up with a huge social buzz around his figure. The fact of the matter is that, on a personal level, this season a change in attitude has been detected: Before I turned a deaf ear, now I don’t. A new position with which even his own ancelotti is dissatisfied, the author of numerous pleas at a press conference: “He is young and has to learn certain things” or “He should focus only on football”. Even in the middle of the game Carletto He has come to ask him not to speak. “Play! Play! ”, He shouted in San Mamés.

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It’s a loving relationship… with its slap on the wrist. “My four grandchildren have their shirt and they don’t want another one”, was the last caress of the coach. Hours later, he secretly accompanied him to the locker room to make sure that he was not doing anything. And despite this, he did: I kiss the shield and boast to the stands. Ancelotti does not like those gestures. But the fire has reached such a temperature that it seems utopian to put it out. Because the accusatory fingers are crossed and each one has their argument. “It is he who adds fuel to the fire,” they say from one side. On the other, those who defend Vinicius, in Majorca they ended up almost more turned on than the footballer himself. It was the climax: received ten fouls (ten!), in a new record. No Real Madrid player has received so many in a league match for a decade (Isco, in 2013). ‘And is it still his fault?’ they reply.

When did it all start?

It’s hard to nail down, but as far as this season goes, the September 11, 2022 It was a turning point. He Majorca he traveled to the Bernabéu; an afternoon busy for Vinicius. “Hit him! Hit him!” Vasco Aguirre yelled from the bench, desperate for someone to stop him. Vinicius listened to him and without hesitating for a second, he ran madly to reproach him. In that game he had them with Raíllo, Jaume Costa, Maffeo, Valjent… until he scored and, yes, he danced. Many interpreted that celebration as a provocation. And the debate was born: even stars like Neymar came out to defend him, giving birth to the movement #BailaViniBaila. A few weeks later it was derby in the Metropolitan and the buzz about a possible dance there fueled the debate. did not mark

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But everything before the game was sad. To hit rock bottom Why racism entered the scene: from statements on television to a doll in the outskirts. And Vinicius was pushed to the zenith of the debates, of the gatherings, of the covers. He became the main topic of conversation at every meeting and the protagonist, every time he touched the ball, in every game. That amount of stares on him turned up the intensity of what was happening to him. And numbers in hand, since that media supernova, has been losing effectiveness, to the detriment of the number of fouls. Some less and others more. He -and Ancelotti- demand more protection; They allege that he scores and attends less, because they are not letting him play almost.

Bone scan

And the truth is that the numbers stage an obvious drop in performance. He has gone eight games in a row, in the League, without scoring away from home: His last was in Cornellà-El Prat, just before the afternoon against Mallorca. However, at the Bernabéu things flow more: seven goals, from the same starting point. It is before the pressure of other people’s stadiums where his self-confidence seems to wane. Nothing in the Metropolitan, Getafe, Elche, Vallecas, Valladolid, Villarreal, Bilbao and Mallorca. And with nothing, it’s nothing: neither goals nor assists. Zero. In 2023in addition, it is showing a more heated version: He has seen yellow in four of the nine games. He will not be on February 15 against Elche, a consequence of fulfilling the cycle of reprimands. yes in the Club World Cupwhere away from LaLiga, he seems to be happier. There is less noise and curiously, the more silence, the more dancing.