Vinicius Jr's Resilience Shines in Real Madrid's Win

Vinicius Jr’s first start of Real Madrid’s pre-season came wrapped in symbolism and noise. Armband on, jeers ringing out, a 1-0 win in the Teresa Herrera Trophy at Riazor as the backdrop.

The Brazilian, making his first appearance at Deportivo La Coruña’s home ground, walked out as captain and lightning rod. A section of the Riazor crowd decided early that every touch would be a target. They stuck to it. Boos rolled down from the stands whenever the ball went near him.

He has heard worse. Vinicius has grown used to hostile away grounds far more intimidating than a pre-season date in Galicia, and the soundtrack did not shake his status in the side. If anything, it underlined it.

Mourinho hands Vinicius the keys

This was Vinicius’ first start of the summer, and Mourinho did not treat it as a gentle easing-in exercise. He gave him the captain’s armband and, with it, responsibility for leading Real Madrid’s attack while he is still climbing back towards full fitness.

The pattern was obvious. When Madrid needed an outlet, teammates looked left. Find Vinicius. Let him carry the ball, draw markers, tilt the pitch.

He dropped off the front line again and again, offering himself between the lines to help Madrid progress play. At times he knitted moves together smoothly; at others, the rust showed. One sloppy pass betrayed that lack of rhythm and handed Deportivo their best moment, springing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on the counter. The forward found himself isolated, though, and the chance fizzled out.

Vinicius never quite caught fire in the final third. No decisive dribble, no ruthless finish. What he did get was another 90 minutes of sharpness in the bank and a reminder that, even off his peak, the game still bends towards him.

Carreras thrives in Vinicius’ shadow

If Vinicius did not light up the scoresheet, he still lit up the left flank for others. Alvaro Carreras, in particular, cashed in.

The left-back repeatedly used Vinicius as a wall and a decoy, taking passes on the overlap and driving into promising areas. With defenders gravitating towards the Brazilian, Carreras found room to whip in several dangerous crosses and test the Deportivo back line.

There was a hint of something there. An early understanding, the kind that can grow into a real weapon if Mourinho continues to funnel attacks through that side. Vinicius between the lines, Carreras racing outside him – a simple pattern, but one that unsettled Deportivo more than once.

The crowd did not discriminate much. Carreras, like Vinicius, drew boos from sections of the Riazor stands. Endrick was also whistled, his treatment and Carreras’ tied to flashpoints with Deportivo players during the match. The atmosphere never turned truly toxic, but it stayed edgy.

For Vinicius, it was another night of hostility met with focus. For Carreras, it was a glimpse of how playing off Madrid’s star winger can elevate his own game.

Spanish Super Cup leaves Saudi Arabia for Istanbul – but only briefly

Away from Riazor, Spanish football’s landscape shifted.

The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) confirmed that the 2027 Spanish Super Cup will be played in Istanbul, at the Olympic Ataturk Stadium. It is a sharp change of scenery from Saudi Arabia, which has hosted recent editions and generated significant revenue for the federation.

Ataturk Stadium needs no introduction. It staged the UEFA Champions League final in 2023, when Manchester City lifted the trophy, and will now host the entire Super Cup from February 2 to February 7, 2027. One city, one stadium, four teams.

The RFEF has pointed to the 2027 Asian Cup as the main reason for the move away from Saudi Arabia. The broader context is hard to ignore, though. Tensions in the Middle East have already reshaped the sporting calendar: Formula One dropped its Bahrain and Saudi Arabian races earlier in the year, while the Qatar Grand Prix shifted to Malaysia. Football is now adjusting too.

The switch is temporary. The federation has already confirmed that the Super Cup is scheduled to return to Saudi Arabia in 2028.

High stakes for Real Madrid in Istanbul

The cast for 2027 is set: Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Real Sociedad will contest the trophy in Istanbul.

For Real Madrid, it carries more than the usual pre-season-style gloss the competition sometimes attracts. Barcelona have dominated the recent editions, winning three of the last four. Madrid’s last triumph came in 2024, and since then they have watched their great rivals turn the Super Cup into a stage for their own momentum.

By the time the Ataturk Stadium fills in early February 2027, Vinicius and this Madrid side will know exactly where they stand in that rivalry. The boos in La Coruña were just noise. Istanbul will ask a sharper question: who really owns this era?