Vinicius Jr is facing fresh criticism after Real Madrid’s 1-0 defeat to Real Betis, although the Brazilian still hit the post, created a disallowed goal and won a late penalty.

Vinicius Jr faces fresh criticism after Real Madrid defeat to Betis

Vinicius Junior has come under fresh criticism following Real Madrid’s 1-0 defeat to Real Betis, with his overall performance described as disappointing despite several important attacking moments.

The Brazilian struggled to dominate the left flank as consistently as expected and was largely contained by Betis defender Hector Bellerin.

However, Vinicius was still involved in three of Real Madrid’s biggest moments of the night.

Vinicius criticised for ‘cold’ performance

Spanish media were unimpressed with Vinicius’ overall display following Real Madrid’s first defeat of the season.

AS described the Brazilian as leaving a “cold” impression and placed him among the attacking stars who failed to reach the level expected from them.

The criticism focused on Vinicius’ inability to consistently impose himself on the game and create danger from the left side.

Real Madrid controlled long periods but were unable to turn their possession and chances into goals.

Bellerin praised for stopping Vinicius

One of the biggest talking points after the match was Hector Bellerin’s defensive performance against Vinicius.

The Betis right-back was widely praised for limiting the Brazilian’s space and preventing him from repeatedly attacking the penalty area.

Some Spanish reports suggested Bellerin effectively shut Vinicius down for long periods of the match.

That assessment has increased scrutiny on the Real Madrid winger, whose explosive one-on-one ability is usually one of his greatest strengths.

Questions over Vinicius’ confidence

Analysis after the defeat also raised concerns over whether Vinicius is currently playing with the same confidence and explosiveness that made him one of Europe’s most dangerous forwards.

There were moments when the Brazilian appeared less aggressive when attacking space than in previous seasons.

His acceleration, decisiveness and willingness to repeatedly attack defenders have all become part of the wider debate surrounding his current form.

As one of Real Madrid’s biggest stars, expectations remain extremely high.

Vinicius still came close to scoring

Despite the criticism, Vinicius was far from completely ineffective against Betis.

The winger produced one of Real Madrid’s best chances of the first half when his effort struck the post.

That moment came close to giving Mourinho’s side the lead and demonstrated that Vinicius remained capable of creating danger even during a difficult performance.

Betis ultimately survived the pressure and became increasingly confident as the match progressed.

Vinicius created goal that was ruled out

The Brazilian was also involved in another major Real Madrid attacking moment.

Vinicius produced an outside-of-the-foot pass that helped create a goal for Carlos Espi.

However, the goal was eventually ruled out by VAR for offside.

It was another example of how Vinicius’ contribution was more complicated than simply describing him as anonymous.

Vinicius wins dramatic late penalty

Vinicius then gave Real Madrid one final opportunity to rescue the match in stoppage time.

The Brazilian was fouled inside the penalty area, earning Mourinho’s side a late penalty.

Kylian Mbappe stepped up but saw his spot-kick saved by Alvaro Valles.

The miss meant Real Madrid left Betis without a point despite Vinicius creating the opportunity for a dramatic equaliser.

Mbappe receiving even stronger criticism

Although Vinicius has been criticised, much of the strongest reaction after the game has been directed at Mbappe.

The French forward missed several opportunities before failing to convert the decisive late penalty.

That means Vinicius should not be portrayed as the main reason for Real Madrid’s defeat.

His performance was inconsistent, but he still hit the post, contributed to a disallowed goal and won the penalty that could have changed the result.

Mourinho does not publicly blame Vinicius

Jose Mourinho also avoided singling Vinicius out after the final whistle.

The Real Madrid coach instead focused on the team’s overall performance and argued that his players created enough opportunities to get a better result.

Mourinho has not publicly suggested that Vinicius is responsible for the defeat or that his place in the team is immediately under threat.

He also defended Mbappe despite the Frenchman’s late penalty miss.

Pressure growing around Vinicius

Nevertheless, the criticism arrives at a sensitive moment for Vinicius.

Questions had already been raised before the Betis match about whether his current performances justify an automatic starting position.

Another frustrating night has therefore added fuel to an already growing debate over his form, confidence and influence under Mourinho.

The Brazilian remains one of Real Madrid’s most dangerous attacking weapons, but the expectations surrounding him mean every quiet performance will continue to attract attention.

Vinicius now needs a response

The Betis defeat does not represent a disastrous individual performance from Vinicius, but it does create another test for the winger.

He was restricted for long periods, yet still produced several moments capable of changing the match.

The bigger question now is whether Vinicius can rediscover the consistency and explosiveness that once made him almost impossible to defend against.

With scrutiny increasing around Real Madrid’s biggest stars, his response in the next matches could become one of the most closely watched storylines around Mourinho’s team.