When Kylian Mbappé came on at the Bernabéu on Sunday night — 64th minute, still easing back from injury, introduced carefully — the crowd barely stirred. When Vinicius Junior curled the ball into the bottom-right corner eight minutes later to restore Madrid's lead at 3-2, 80,000 people went into raptures.
That contrast tells you everything about where power sits in this Real Madrid squad right now.
Vinicius scored twice in the 3-2 derby win over Atlético, taking him to four goals in his last three La Liga matches. He won the penalty for the first — a burst of pace that left Hancko with no choice but to bring him down inside the box. He finished it with supreme confidence, sending Musso the wrong way. Then, after Nahuel Molina's thunderbolt equalised, he picked up Trent Alexander-Arnold's precise switch of play, cut inside and curled a shot into the far corner.
After the final whistle, Vinicius acknowledged the timing of the break: "It was exciting. After the great week we've had, the international break comes at a bad time." A player who feels something building and does not want it interrupted.
Arbeloa was effusive: "He had another great game. It was another demonstration of talent, of courage, of not being afraid, of failing and trying again. As I always say, it's tremendous luck to have him. I don't know if it's the best moment of his career, but he won't be far off."
Vinicius is 24 years old. He is playing the football of his life. And with Mbappé still finding his feet at the Bernabéu, the Ballon d'Or conversation looks increasingly open.
