Vinicius Jr vows to end goal drought in derby

Vinicius Junior has chosen his moment. Days before Real Madrid walk into the Metropolitano for the capital derby, the Brazilian has fired out a message: the goals are coming back.

He left the 3-2 win over Elche frustrated and empty-handed. No goal, no assist, several chances wasted. In a game that swung wildly, Vinicius was everywhere but on the scoresheet.

The Brazilian winger started in the sixth round clash of La Liga and repeatedly carved Elche open, only for the final touch to desert him. The misses piled up, the anxiety grew. Then came the decision from the bench. In the 68th minute, Jose Mourinho called him off.

Real Madrid still needed late drama to escape. Carlos Espi struck in the 90+1 minute to finally settle a breathless contest and drag three points back to the capital. Relief, not celebration, was the overriding emotion.

Vinicius did not hide from his own performance. He went straight to his Instagram Story and put it in writing.

“My goals will return soon, I cannot keep wasting all these chances! On Sunday more is coming, Hala Madrid,” he posted.

No ambiguity. No soft language. A public promise, aimed at himself as much as at anyone else.

The timing is impossible to ignore. Real Madrid now head into one of their most demanding fixtures of the season, the derby against Atletico Madrid in the seventh round of the Spanish league. Los Blancos travel across the city to the Metropolitano on Sunday evening, with tension guaranteed and margins thin.

Against Elche, Vinicius settled for being the catalyst rather than the finisher. He stretched the defence, created danger, drove Real Madrid’s attacks, but walked off still searching for that clean, ruthless strike. Now, he has circled the derby as the night to put that right.

His message before facing Atletico is as direct as it gets: the waste stops here, the goals return there.

More is coming — and he has chosen the derby stage to prove it.