Carlo Ancelotti, the manager of Real Madrid, has praised Vinicius Junior for his “extraordinary” performance after the Brazilian forward netted a second-half hat-trick. This achievement enabled Real Madrid to recover from a two-goal deficit and ultimately defeat Borussia Dortmund 5-2 in their Champions League match.
During a news conference, Ancelotti expressed his belief that the 24-year-old Vinicius is a strong contender for the Ballon d’Or, an award recognizing the world’s best player. He remarked, “It’s rare to see a player perform in a second half like Vinicius did. And not just because of the three goals, but because of his character; he’s extraordinary.”
Ancelotti elaborated that Vinicius’s performance is indicative of his potential to secure the Ballon d’Or, citing his overall contributions over the past year rather than just this match. “These three goals will contribute to next year’s Ballon d’Or, that’s for sure. He’s a player who can truly make a difference,” he noted.
Reflecting on the match, Ancelotti mentioned that there was no sense of panic in the locker room at halftime, despite being two goals down. He indicated that the team demonstrated maturity and experience in their approach to the game’s second half.
“We remained calm during the break. We switched our system and returned to play with more intensity,” he explained.
He added that while scoring three goals might have seemed unrealistic at halftime, they focused on small aspects like effective passing and winning duels to regain control of the game.
Ancelotti acknowledged that his team struggled in the first half but performed better after the break, showcasing improved quality and pressure. He described the second half as the best of the season and emphasized the importance of applying the lessons learned.
“The goal is to start the game strong instead of waiting for the opponents to take the lead. While we may not be able to maintain the second half’s intensity for a full 90 minutes, we can strive for a more balanced approach,” he concluded.