It has not been the desired debut from eleven meters for Vinicius as a Real Madrid player. After Benzema’s departure, the Brazilian wanted to assume the stripes of taking penalties in the Chamartín team. In fact, these days he was seen practicing the shots at the end of each session.

The player had only taken two maximum penalties in his career, missing one of them. The last one was scored last June against Guinea. Hence, he showed himself with confidence to start shooting penalties with Madrid.

A stringer as premiere

The moment of the premiere has arrived in the first half of the Clásico against Barcelona. Araujo touched the ball with his hand inside the area and the referee indicated the penalty spot. Given Modric’s loss, it was Vinicius who caught the ball ahead of players like Rodrygo or Bellingham.

The new ‘7’ of Madrid, after a short run, crashed the shot against the crossbar, with a Ter Stegen who had already beaten to one side. Vinicius was hurt for having wanted to adjust so much.

We will see if the former Flamengo player continues to take penalties after the ruling and if he continues to have that confidence that has characterized him so much during his stay at the white club.

Today I’m sure Xavi doesn’t complain

Counter-chronicle of FC Barcelona – Real Madrid at the AT&T Stadium in front of 82,026 spectators.

“It looked like a Champions League game and we came from a virus… this is not normal”, Xavi Hernández complained bitterly about the attitude of the ‘Gunners’, taking into account that it was FC Barcelona’s first pre-season friendly. The Spanish coach was surprised by the intensity of Arsenal (5-3) in the friendly in Los Angeles, in a match in which yellow cards flew in the first half (4). That day at SOFI Stadium, the tension could be cut even with a butter knife… but what was experienced in the rival stadium to host the 2026 World Cup, AT&T Stadium, was not far from the competitiveness and intensity that transport any Classic with something at stake.

27 fouls (17 from Barcelona and 10 from Real Madrid), 8 yellow cards, countless protests to the referee and a couple of brawls on the pitch. That was the summary of the first Clásico of the season, which FC Barcelona took away after signing a 3-0 win thanks to goals from Dembélé, Fermín and Ferran Torres. However, today I am sure that Xavi is not complaining at the press conference… because when you win, life is seen and tasted differently. And football, like life, goes round and round.