La Liga 2024-25: Vinicius Jr given extra rest day but available for Villarreal, says Carlo Ancelotti
La Liga 2024-25: Vinicius Jr given extra rest day but available for Villarreal, says Carlo Ancelotti
Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr is tired but will be available for its La Liga match at Villarreal on Saturday, coach Carlo Ancelotti said after the Brazilian missed team training having been given an extra rest day.
Real beat Atletico Madrid 4-2 on penalties after the second leg of its Champions League last-16 tie on Wednesday, after a punishing 30 minutes of extra time.
Vinicius did not train with the team on Friday, its final session ahead of its league fixture, remaining inside the club’s facilities instead, local media reported.
“We have given him an extra day’s rest because he is still very tired. Tomorrow he will be available and at full strength to help us. He doesn’t have any problems, just a bit of tiredness,” Ancelotti told a press conference.
The Italian coach backed the 24-year-old, who missed a late second-half penalty against Atletico.
“For us, for me, Vinicius is an indisputable player,” Ancelotti said .
“He may have better or worse games, moments. But I don’t dispute that. Even if sometimes he doesn’t play well, even if he fails, he has been so important for this club that I can’t argue with that,” he added.
Real has had some bumps on the road in its La Liga title defence where it sits second in the table, having won two of its last six games.
The defending champion is level on 57 points with leader Barcelona, which has a game in hand and travels to Atletico – in third and with one point less – on Sunday. Villarreal is fifth.
“We have to make an extra effort (on Saturday),” Ancelotti said.
“We can’t feel fresh, because we haven’t had the time needed. But we can put other things on the pitch: quality, a good attitude, play an intelligent game… There is not only one way to win. There are many, defending well, for example,” he added.
He added that his players would need extra motivation for Saturday’s game after their midweek Champions League encounter.
“Obviously, in terms of motivation, you have to push the players more in a game like tomorrow’s compared to Wednesday’s game against Atletico,” Ancelotti added.
“In the Champions League the motivation comes by itself, tomorrow you have to push more,” he concluded.
Published on Mar 14, 2025
