Van der Vaart blasts Vinicius' Champions League behavior as 'awful'
Former Real Madrid midfielder Rafael van der Vaart has heavily criticized Vinicius Jr. after the Brazilian's performance in Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final first leg defeat to Bayern Munich. The Dutchman described Vinicius' on-field antics as 'awful,' specifically calling out the forward for 'throwing himself to the ground hoping the opponent gets a red card' even with slight touches. Van der Vaart expressed feeling sorry for Vinicius despite his criticism, acknowledging he is a 'brilliant player.'
Real Madrid fell 2-1 to Bayern Munich in the first leg, with goals from Luis Diaz and Harry Kane securing the victory for the visitors. Vinicius was unable to make a significant impact during the match, continuing a pattern of inconsistent performances in high-stakes Champions League games.
Van der Vaart's comments add to ongoing debates about Vinicius' playing style, with critics questioning his tendency to embellish contact while others defend it as legitimate tactical play. As Real Madrid prepares for the return leg, how should the club address this behavioral aspect of Vinicius' game to maximize his effectiveness without drawing negative attention?