Will Vinicius Junior benefit under new Real Madrid boss Alvaro Arbeloa?

A new chapter is underway at Real Madrid following Xabi Alonso’s sacking and Alvaro Arbeloa’s appointment – but has Vinícius Júnior also turned the page?

We examine whether the new Real manager Arbeloa and Vinicius will have a better relationship than the striker had with Alonso.

The huge Vinicius question for new boss Alvaro Arbeloa 

The key question we will focus on is whether Arbeloa will seriously consider demoting Viní to the substitutes’ bench. The statistics say that wouldn’t be the wisest decision.

Without going over old ground, it was well known that Alonso and the Brazilian international had a rocky relationship. On paper, it appears dropping the baller would be ridiculous. 

However, Arbeloa is surely aware that Viní has already expressed his dissatisfaction this season after being left out of the Real starting XI for their Champions League win over Marseille. The Brazilian’s frustration didn’t remain on the pitch; it spread to Instagram. 

A post was added picturing him departing the game without his Real shirt against the backdrop of a song entitled, ‘Principles of a Champion’. Make what you want of that, but considering he is without his shirt has to make you think. 

Viní appears one of the first names on the Real team sheet

That could be considered by some to be a distant memory, considering the attacker has played in all 20 LaLiga matches this season. In addition to starting all of Real’s five 2025/26 Champions League phase encounters since that forgettable night for some. 

The only league matches that Viní has missed have come against bottom-of-the-table Real Oviedo, Getafe, and Elche. In two of those matches, Rodrygo has taken to the pitch while the Brazilian has sat on the bench.

In the other game against Elche, Real didn’t play any wingers but instead operated in a 3-4-1-2 formation.

Real have only lost two matches in LaLiga this season, a harrowing 5-2 defeat to Atlético Madrid in September and a 2-0 loss to Celta Vigo in December. Incidentally, Viní played the entirety of those matches. Two losses in 20 games is hardly a statement that should result in dropping someone from the starting XI. 

The only notable blip on the Brazilian’s behalf, but also the rest of the Real’s team, made front and back page headlines as recently as earlier this month. The breaking news came in the Copa del Rey at the Víctor García Verdura as LaLiga 2 side Albacete knocked out last year’s beaten finalists 3-2. 

To cover all of Viní’s participations throughout the current campaign, he was an unused substitute against lower league opposition Talavera in the earlier rounds of the competition.

Only injuries and suspensions can keep the Brazilian at bay

Going back even further, looking at last season’s statistics, Viní participated in 30 of Real’s 38 LaLiga encounters, missing the remaining eight matches through injuries and suspensions. Out of the aforementioned 30 matches, he began 25 and was brought on from the bench against Espanyol, Rayo Vallecano, Villarreal, Leganés, and Alavés. 

In Viní’s absence, the likes of Arda Güler, Rodrygo, Franco Mastantuono, and Brahim Díaz have all played in the Brazilian’s primary position on the left wing. 

Without knowing Arbeloa’s pecking order up top, it would be very unrealistic to say the Brazilian isn’t a big player in his plans for the remainder of the season at least. 

In a recent interview, while Arbeloa’s main subject matter was to defend Vinícius from Real Madrid boo boys, he also went as far as saying that if the Brazilian is available, he will play.