That's what has affected Vinicius most

Vinicius had another subdued display in Real Madrid's 3-2 comeback win at AEK Athens, substituted in the 81st minute, with analysts suggesting his Ballon d'Or loss to Rodri has affected him most.

Real Madrid came from behind to beat AEK Athens 3-2 in Athens, with Valverde scoring the decisive goal. However, the focus after the match was on Vinicius's quiet performance; he was substituted by Brahim in the 81st minute.

Manager José Mourinho described Vinicius's display as "acceptable, not extraordinary, like the rest of the team," but many analysts disagreed with that assessment. The issue, according to former Real Madrid goalkeeper Santi Cañizares, goes beyond a single poor game. "Vinicius thinks he has a status, and contractually he does, but he's incapable of defending it on the pitch," Cañizares said on Movistar Plus Deportes. He added that Mourinho now has to defend Vinicius in every press conference.

Cañizares believes what has affected Vinicius most is losing the Ballon d'Or and the situation where Real Madrid defers to him, including not attending the 2024 Ballon d'Or gala when Rodri won the award. "These are things that aren't natural," Cañizares concluded.