Kylian Mbappé’s arrival at Real Madrid in 2024 generated major expectations, especially regarding his partnership with fellow star Vinícius Júnior, a connection that has yet to fully flourish. After Real Madrid returned to winning ways against Olympiacos, head coach Xabi Alonso addressed the current state of his attacking duo.
After three matches without a win, Real Madrid edged Olympiacos 4-3 on the road in the UEFA Champions League. Mbappé stole the spotlight with a four-goal performance, but two of those strikes came directly from Vinícius Júnior assists, capping a strong showing from the Brazilian as well.
In his pre-match press conference, Alonso was asked about the duo’s chemistry and their efficiency on the counterattack. The manager was candid: “They’re very good at that, but they’ve done it in other games as well. There will be matches where we face low blocks and have to take the initiative, be more patient, and they’ll need to be in the right place at the right time—and we need to find them at the right time.“
Alonso also praised how both players have started to complement each other early in the 2025–26 season. “That connection, that quality, that chemistry they have, how well they get along… you can see it on the field, and the other day it was very striking. It’s a shame Vini couldn’t get his goal,” Alonso concluded.
Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid warming up against Liverpool.
Real Madrid will visit Girona on Sunday needing a win to reclaim first place, currently held by Barcelona with 34 points. Still, with rumors of locker-room tension fading and the Mbappé–Vinícius partnership trending upward, Alonso appears to be steadying the team’s trajectory.
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Vinicius, Mbappe’s perfect partner
Since arriving in Madrid, Mbappé has become the club’s primary goal scorer, winning the Golden Boot last season and maintaining his elite form with 22 goals so far this year. Vinícius’ situation is different, after winning FIFA The Best, he has yet to reach the same statistical level this season.
Even so, with Mbappé now the focal point of the attack, Vinícius has grown into the Frenchman’s most effective partner. Of the Brazilian’s six assists this season, four have gone directly to Mbappé: one each against Real Oviedo and Espanyol, plus two in the win over Olympiacos.
While Mbappé has taken on the role of Madrid’s scoring machine, he has also provided three assists, one of which set up Vinícius against Villarreal. With Xabi Alonso still shaping the team less than a year into his tenure, the strengthening relationship between Vinícius and Mbappé is injecting optimism into Madrid’s outlook for the rest of the campaign.
