The two sides of Vinicius Junior
Vinicius Junior was brilliant against Barcelona but struggled against Atletico Madrid.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Alfredo Di Stefano, Raul. These Real Madrid icons wrote their fair share of Clasico history, but none ever scored a hat-trick in what many consider to be the biggest fixture in football.
On Sunday, Vinicius Junior needed just 39 first-half minutes to score his first Clasico treble as Madrid crushed Barcelona 4-1 in the final of the Supercopa de Espana.
It felt like a statement performance from a player widely acknowledged as one of the world's best in his position, but one who has often played second-fiddle to other stars, most notably Karim Benzema and Jude Bellingham.
More of the same was expected from Vinicius as Madrid travelled across the Spanish capital for Thursday's Copa del Rey last-16 clash with Atletico Madrid.
On that occasion, however, Vinicius' frustrating outing was summed up when his loose touch allowed Antoine Griezmann to put Atletico ahead with a terrific solo effort, the decisive moment in a chaotic 4-2 win for Diego Simeone's men.
Within the space of four days, these two titanic clashes encapsulated the enigma of Vinicius. Here, More Than A Game looks at the two faces of Madrid's brilliant but bewildering winger.
SUNDAY: THE VINICIUS CLASICO
Now midway through his sixth season in European football, Vinicius has enjoyed his fair share of statement performances in Madrid's famous white shirt.
His winning goal in the 2022 Champions League final against Liverpool stands out, as does an electrifying display against the same opponents in the competition's last 16 in February 2023, when he scored twice and registered an assist in a thumping 5-2 win at Anfield.
Last Sunday's display was the best – and among the most significant – of the lot.
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