Former Real Madrid director Predrag Mijatovic has suggested that Vinicius Junior is playing with fear since the arrival of Kylian Mbappe at the club. Mijatovic believes that Mbappe’s presence has impacted the Brazilian forward’s performances, particularly in the wake of Madrid’s heavy loss to Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals.

Arsenal dominated the second half, scoring three goals, including two stunning free kicks from Declan Rice and a third from Mikel Merino. Meanwhile, Real Madrid’s attack, led by Vinicius, struggled to make an impact.

Mijatovic feels that Vinicius’ uncertainty stems from the pressure of competing with Mbappe for a key role in the team. He told Cadena SER, “Since Mbappe joined, Vinicius seems unsure of himself, especially when trying to prove who is the better player between them. They haven’t delivered as expected.”

Despite making 43 appearances for Madrid this season, with 19 goals and 14 assists, Vinicius was largely ineffective against Arsenal, failing to complete any of his three attempted dribbles. With the second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu approaching, all eyes will be on Vinicius as he looks to bounce back.