Vinícius Júnior was substituted in the 82nd minute with Real Madrid drawing 2-2 against AEK Athens, having completed no dribbles all night, as the hosts’ right-back Lazaros Rota held him without a single successful take-on, elmundo.es reported from Athens on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026. Fede Valverde then scored in the 91st minute to complete a fifth late comeback of the season for the Spanish champions.
The Brazilian, who had not played for 15 days and visibly lacked rhythm, was also the outfield starter with the fewest touches (48) and the fewest passes (31), while Diomande on the opposite flank completed four dribbles against his marker, according to the report.
How the night unfolded in Athens
The match at the Greek capital carried an emotional opening, with a minute of silence held for Jesús de Miguel and the victims of a train accident in Urda before the AEK supporters’ constant passion took over, elmundo.es reported. AEK pressed relentlessly against the visitors, and the report described both Madrid and Vinícius as suffering.
Vinícius, who has not scored or assisted for Madrid since Sept. 12 against Rayo Vallecano — a drought approaching two months — was unable to get past Rota, the 29-year-old AEK right-back described as a theoretically inferior opponent against whom the Brazilian might have rebuilt some confidence. He left the field head down in the 82nd minute with the score at 2-2, then watched from the bench as Valverde’s long-range strike settled the match in stoppage time.
41’ VINICIUS DENIED IN FRONT OF GOAL!!! FLAG IS UP! AEK Athens 🟡 1–1 ⚪️ Real Madrid.#UCL
The numbers behind Vinícius’s empty night
The statistical picture drawn by elmundo.es was stark and repeated a pattern the outlet noted in recent matches against Leipzig and Roma:
- Dribbles completed: 0, the same empty figure reported against Leipzig and Roma.
- Touches: 48, the lowest of any starter excluding goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
- Passes: 31, also the lowest among outfield starters.
- Productive output: no goal or assist since Sept. 12 against Rayo Vallecano.
By contrast, Diomande completed four dribbles on the other side of the pitch, a disparity that underlined the imbalance between Madrid’s two wide players on the night.
Mourinho’s “80% soft hand, 20% hard hand” approach
Manager José Mourinho has been working daily to recover Vinícius’s confidence and level, the report said, and after the match he described his management of the player in percentage terms. “With him it is 80% soft hand and 20% hard hand,” elmundo.es quoted Mourinho as saying.
The coach defended the Brazilian’s display, saying: “Vini has had a very acceptable match, not extraordinary, but the team wasn’t either. Vinícius did his job very well.” He also noted that Diomande can play on either flank, adding that the first idea is to get Vinícius back to his best.
🚨🎙️ Vinícius Júnior on why he broke down in tears after AEK Athens scored against Real Madrid: Reporter: “We saw you in tears after AEK Athens scored. What happened? Was it the pressure of the game?” 🗣️ Vinícius Júnior: “Honestly, I don’t even know how to explain it. I think… pic.twitter.com/j1ohKA5yM7”
The outlet reported a possible tactical shift: placing Diomande on the right and Vinícius on the left, which would mean dropping either Arda Güler or Bernardo Silva — a difficult decision because both have been part of Madrid’s reaction in recent weeks. With Mourinho now without a suspension in La Liga after the international break, he will have to decide how to approach the situation, and so far, the report noted, he has been throwing the ball out of play.
A fifth late comeback of the season
Athens marked the fifth match of the season in which Madrid have come from behind or held on to win in the final stretch, elmundo.es listed: the 91st-minute winner in Athens, the 87th-minute goal in the clásico, the 90th-minute strike in Rome, the 91st-minute goal at Elche, and the 90th-minute winner at Cornellà.
Mourinho claimed some credit for the pattern. “I prefer to win easily like in Santander, but winning matches like this gives you a fantastic feeling,” he said, according to the report. He explained that at 2-2 he brought on “Carlos” and set up two strikers and two wingers, adding that the players showed courage and the substitutes made an impact, and that he feels fortunate to have a squad of this quality.
Questions readers still have after Athens
When did Vinícius last score or assist for Madrid? According to elmundo.es, his last goal or assist came on Sept. 12 against Rayo Vallecano, leaving a productive drought of nearly two months as of the Athens match on Nov. 4.
47’ Vinicius cross aiming Bellingham but the goalie claims! AEK Athens 🟡 1–1 ⚪️ Real Madrid.#UCL
How many dribbles did Vinícius complete against AEK? Zero. The outlet reported the same figure in Madrid’s recent matches against Leipzig and Roma, while Diomande completed four on the opposite flank in Athens.
What did Mourinho say about managing Vinícius? He described his approach in percentages — “80% soft hand and 20% hard hand” — and said Vinícius had played a “very acceptable” match, not extraordinary, but that the team had not been either.
How many late wins has Madrid had this season? elmundo.es counted five matches decided in the final minutes: goals in the 91st minute in Athens, the 87th in the clásico, the 90th in Rome, the 91st at Elche, and the 90th at Cornellà.
What tactical change is being considered? The report said Madrid may play Diomande on the right and Vinícius on the left, which would require dropping Güler or Bernardo Silva from the lineup.
🚨 81’ Brahim replaces Vinicius, Carreras replaces Cucurella. AEK Athens 🟡 2–2 ⚪️ Real Madrid.#UCL pic.twitter.com/sG3qnzaOgJ
“Always there is something like a feeling of luck, but only we could win in the last minutes,” Mourinho said, per elmundo.es. “The players have courage, the people who come in contribute, and I am very lucky to have a squad of this quality.”
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