Karim Benzema Backs Vinicius Jr. Amid Real Madrid Star's Struggles

Vinicius Jr.'s situation continues to cause anguish among a large part of the Real Madrid fanbase. After 15 matches played so far this season, the Brazilian still has not woken up. The spark that characterized him seems to have gone out. He has already gone six consecutive matches without scoring or assisting. In addition, he is still serving a four-match suspension after receiving a red card against Villarreal.

However, for Karim Benzema, the Brazilian is still the team's No. 1. This Thursday, the former Real Madrid forward posted a story on his official Instagram account in which a photo of him alongside Vinicius at a team training session could be seen. The photo was accompanied by the text "No. 1 always," implying that he fully trusts the ex-Flamengo player.

The bond between the two was not limited to the field of play, since Benzema took on the role of his older brother once Vini arrived in Madrid at just 18 years old. The Frenchman acknowledged in 2021: "I believe in Vinicius. I talk to him a lot," and that on certain occasions "I talk to him a little firmly," since he knew the potential he had.

Finally, he defined him with a phrase that again shows the faith he had in the Brazilian: "He is a phenomenon when he wants to be." For his part, the Brazilian returned the credit and mentioned that Benzema had been the person who helped him the most and who taught him the most about making better decisions on the field of play. However, this bond came to an end in 2023, when the French forward left for Saudi Arabia.

The doubt about Vini's performance keeps growing among fans, journalists, and former club players. For many, the change in performance the Brazilian had during the summer is not normal. Even so, both his teammates and the coach, Jose Mourinho, maintain all the hope that he will soon rediscover the goal. They appreciate that despite the misses, the Brazilian keeps trying.

This Saturday, Real Madrid will visit Valencia at Mestalla, and with this, the last suspension match for Vini will be completed. So it will be quite interesting to observe the coach's decisions regarding the tactical scheme. Without the Brazilian, he always opted for the same attack: Yan Diomande on the left, Arda Guler on the right, and Kylian Mbappe through the middle. We will see what happens when he has a player with as much hierarchy as Vini available again.