Every touch booed: Real Madrid superstar faces hostile reception in first pre-season start

Every touch booed: Real Madrid superstar faces hostile reception in first pre-season start Vinicius Jr. made his first start of Real Madrid’s pre-season in the 1-0 victory over Deportivo La Coruña, but his return to the starting XI at Riazor came with plenty of noise from the stands. The Brazilian was handed the captain’s armband for the Teresa Herrera Trophy clash, marking his first appearance at Deportivo’s home ground.  However, every touch of the ball was met with boos from a section of the home support. For what it is worth, Vinicius is no stranger to hostile atmospheres away from the Santiago Bernabeu, and the reaction at Riazor did little to distract him from his role as one of the main attacking figures in the Real Madrid side. Endrick and Alvaro Carreras were also targeted by whistles from Deportivo supporters, although their situations were linked to incidents involving players from Antonio Hidalgo’s team during the match. Vinicius captains Real Madrid in first pre-season start The Deportivo vs Real Madrid fixture was Vinicius’ first start of the summer, and Mourinho placed plenty of responsibility on the Brazilian despite him still building his match fitness. Vinicius captained the team and was heavily involved in Real Madrid’s attacking build-up.  The instructions appeared clear whenever the side needed an outlet: look for Vinicius and allow him to influence the game. The Brazilian frequently dropped into positions where he could receive the ball and help progress play.  However, a lack of competitive rhythm was visible at times, which was hardly surprising given that this was his first start of the pre-season. One misplaced pass also allowed Deportivo to launch a counter-attack through Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who found himself isolated as the home side looked to break forward. Vinicius was not at his sharpest in the final third, but the game was another important step in his preparation for the new Real Madrid season. Carreras benefits from Vinicius’ involvement While Vinicius did not have a major impact in front of goal, his involvement helped create space and opportunities for those around him. Alvaro Carreras was one of the players to benefit from the Brazilian’s presence. The left-back used Vinicius’ passes to get into promising areas and trouble the Deportivo defence with several crosses. The understanding between the two could become an interesting feature for Real Madrid, particularly if Mourinho continues to build attacks through Vinicius on the left side. Both Vinicius and Carreras received boos from sections of the Riazor crowd, while Endrick was also targeted during the match.