Decisive in winning the Champions League in 2022, Brazilians Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo hope to repeat the feat to bring the 15th ‘Ear’ to Real Madrid next Saturday, when the merengue team faces Borussia Dortmund in the grand European final.
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— Real Madrid C.F. 🇧🇷🇵🇹 (@realmadridpt) May 29, 2024
With five goals each in this edition of the Champions League, the two are Real’s top scorers in the tournament, tied with Joselu, and are three behind the leaders, the already eliminated Harry Kane (Bayern Munich) and Kylian Mbappé (PSG).
Brazilian strikers have shone on big European nights this season, so Wembley seems the perfect place for them to take on the responsibility again.
Vinícius Júnior, the savior of Munich
Two of Vini Jr.’s goals in Madrid’s Champions League campaign came in the first leg of the semi-final against Bayern Munich, in Germany, which ended in a 2-2 draw and was essential for the Spanish team to qualify. The first of them was a painting with a masterful pass from Toni Kroos and the second, a penalty, prevented Real Madrid from defeat at the Allianz Arena.
The number 7 started the match as a center forward, but the connection with Rodrygo worked perfectly, with the two exchanging positions at various times.
“Playing like this, on the left, and with Vini inside, we are doing very well. We make a lot of changes. I hope the manager continues with this because he is doing very well”, said Rodrygo after the match against Bayern in Germany.
In the return game, Vinícius Júnior did not score, but was very active. Real Madrid’s equalizer came with Joselu taking advantage of goalkeeper Manuel Neuer’s rebound from the Brazilian’s shot. That goal two minutes from time paved the way for a heroic comeback. Joselu scored the second in stoppage time and the Spanish team went from eliminated to finalist in the blink of an eye.
“That’s Real Madrid, we never give up, we always believe in ourselves, we always believe that our fans will follow us and that happened once again”, celebrated Vini in statements to the Movistar+ platform that night.
Despite being 23 years old, he has experience in being decisive in a Champions League final: he scored the goal in Real Madrid’s 1-0 victory over Liverpool in the 2022 final.
Rodrygo, City’s nightmare
Rodrygo did not score in the semi-finals, but was the protagonist in the quarter-finals against Manchester City. In the first game, the number 11 scored twice in the 3-3 draw at the Santiago Bernabéu and, in the return game, opened the scoring in the duel that ended with Real Madrid qualifying on penalties.
In the 2022 title, Rodrygo had already been Manchester City’s executioner. On that occasion, with more protagonism and in the semi-final. After losing 4-3 in the first leg, Real Madrid had to reverse the result at home in the second leg, but reached stoppage time losing 1-0. That’s when Rodrygo appeared to score twice in epic fashion and take the match to the final. extra time, which Karim Benzema decided by scoring the qualifying goal.
“I don’t know how to explain it. The Champions League is a very special competition for me,” said Rodrygo.
Another Brazilian player at Real Madrid, defender Éder Militão, was sidelined for much of the season due to a knee injury and, it seems, will not be in the starting lineup against Dortmund.
Source: Gazetaesportiva
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