Vinicius Jr. Acknowledges Scoring Challenge

Vinicius Junior expressed his concerns after failing to score against Elche, stating, "The goals are going to come back, I cannot miss so many." Despite his efforts, he struggled with accuracy, prompting frustration even among his teammates on the bench. Ahead of the match, coach José Mourinho pointed out Vinicius's need to find the net again, saying, "He is lacking goals."

During the match, Vinicius had two clear scoring opportunities but was unable to convert either. In the first instance, one-on-one with the goalkeeper, he misfired, sending the ball well off target. The Brazilian had a good position but opted to shoot with the toe of his boot, neglecting a potential pass to teammate Arda. In the second half, another chance was missed; following an excellent assist from Güler, his strike again missed the mark, frustrating both himself and the coaching staff.

With half an hour remaining, Mourinho substituted Vinicius, recognizing his fatigue and beginning to think ahead to the upcoming derby against Atlético Madrid. Although Mourinho praised Vinicius for his hard work, the player remained goalless—a pattern Mourinho had identified earlier. "The best version is to score goals. Assisting is important, working for the team is vital, and he does this well, but there exists another Vinicius—a Vinicius who arrived at Benfica last year, with opportunities to score and make a difference. He is lacking that high-level performance right now," Mourinho remarked.

With the derby against Atlético on the horizon, Vinicius will have another opportunity to reclaim his scoring form.