10 defeats casting doubt over Vinicius Junior and Mbappe partnership

Real Madrid is going through a complex rebuilding phase that demands time, discipline and total involvement from the entire squad. The 4-0 thrashing at the hands of PSG in the Club World Cup semi-final leaves a bitter taste and calls for deep reflection. The return of Kylian Mbappe to the starting eleven has altered the tactical setup, reverting to a four-man defence and reducing the intensity of the pressing game, even beyond the glaring individual errors. Neither he nor Vinicius Junior has distinguished himself in recent months through his defensive contribution — an aspect that is essential to the style of play that Xabi Alonso wants to implement. And the figures do not favour them when they are paired together on the pitch.

Since the beginning of 2025, and with the end of the Club World Cup, Real Madrid has played 42 official matches: 28 wins, 4 draws and 10 defeats. These 10 losses have one thing in common: Mbappe and Vinicius were both on the pitch. This ranges from the Copa del Rey final lost to Barcelona (2-5) to the rout against PSG in New York. A stark contrast to the matches where only one of the two was present. Real Madrid secured 11 wins and a draw, remaining undefeated.

With Mbappe

• Average goals scored: 2.24

• But a notable decrease in defensive statistics:

• Interceptions: from 36.67 to 32.38

• Balls recovered: from 73.11 to 68.88

• Recoveries in the opponent's half: from 31.44 to 28.41

With Vinicius

• Real Madrid scores more without him (2.4 compared to 2.16).

• Real Madrid concedes less without him: 0.8 goals per match compared to 1.26 with him.

• On the other hand, he has a better defensive contribution than Mbappe:

• Interceptions: 33.74 (vs 28.5 without him)

• Recoveries: 70.11 (vs 65.7 without him)

The individual weaknesses observed in Mbappe or Vinicius are amplified when they play together. Their lack of defensive commitment seems to weigh on the overall balance of the team. This represents a major tactical challenge for Xabi Alonso, who will have to find a formula to lineup his two superstars together.