Former Arsenal attacker, Thierry Henry, has hit out at Vinicius Junior following the Brazilian’s performance in Real Madrid’s 1-0 defeat to Liverpool in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
Liverpool needed just Alexis Mac Allister’s 61st minute strike to secure all three points at Anfield, handing Real Madrid their first defeat in the Champions League this season.
It was the first time Real Madrid have failed to score in a game this season as they struggled to create chances.
Both their superstars Vinicius Jr and Kylian Mbappe failed to register a shot on target.
However, Henry was particularly unhappy with Vinicius Jr’s performance.
“I do not understand it. You have to play with what’s in front of you, you have to play the moment,” Henry told CBS Sports.
“And even if there’s nobody in the box, as you said, at least the opposing team has dropped 30 yards back and then you can give the ball to your midfielder, who might have a strike from outside the box.
“But I don’t know, sometimes people try to be cute when there’s no need to be cute, if there is space, just give the ball, recycling the ball… sometimes it’s too scripted.
“You have an opportunity at the beginning, for example, Vinicius Jr had Conor Bradley for the first five to seven minutes, and then he let him breathe. Why do you let him breathe? Have a go until he gets a yellow card and then he can’t defend in the same way, but that didn’t happen.
“When we watched the game, Vinicius Jr received the ball in a one-on-one after a good battle in the first five minutes against Conor Bradley, and he passed it back to his left-back to receive it back… and now it was a one-vs-three.
“Then he attacked alone against the three of them, and I thought, wait, do the math. You had a one-on-one, try to see what you can do with that.
“Why do you move the ball back so it comes back to you and you can play a one-vs-three? I just don’t get it at times.”