'Vini Jr and Rodrygo not good enough for Real Madrid'

Robin Bairner

• 27 Sept 2023 14:23 BST
• 3 min read

Real Madrid pair Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo Goes have been told that they are not good enough to play for the club by a former scout.

Vinicius Junior, 23, might have made over 150 appearances for the Bernabeu side and scored the goal that won them the 2022 Champions League, but that has not spared him criticism from Manolo Romero.

Equally, Romero attacked Rodrygo’s record at the club, which has been called into question in recent weeks after a slow start to the season from the 22-year-old former Santos player, who has netted only 17 LaLiga goals since he moved to the club in 2019.

Speaking to Cadena SER, Romero said: “In a good Real Madrid team, Rodrygo and Vinicius would be substitutes, but now they are indisputable starters. That's the difference.

“The current Real Madrid is not a good Real Madrid. Vinicius, in a Real Madrid with Cristiano Ronaldo, Benzema and the best Gareth Bale… Impossible!”

Defence not good enough

They were not the only players to be targeted in the wake of a 3-1 derby loss to Atletico Madrid, though. Romero proclaimed that Antonio Rudiger, David Alaba and Fran Garcia are all “not at the level of Real Madrid”.

He claimed that shortcomings in the transfer market are to blame.

“They don't have full-backs, they don't have a centre forward, the board knows what's missing and hasn't done anything to remedy it,” he added.

“We've been saying this since matchday one, not because they lost the other day. If on top of that, with all these shortcomings, you have a referee that runs over you like the other day... it is impossible to do anything. Madrid was bad, but they were totally run over.”

Real Madrid are next in action on Wednesday, when they face Las Palmas in LaLiga.

Cadena SER