Vinicius Junior under fire after weak Elche showing

Vinicius Junior has become a focal point of criticism in Spain after a noticeably poor run of form this season, despite public support from coach Jose Mourinho. The Brazilian's recent displays have prompted questions about his sharpness and decision-making on the pitch.

Match vs Elche flagged as particularly weak

Many observers judged the duel with Elche to be one of Vinicius's weakest performances in several years. He made a string of poor choices in possession, looked uncertain in key moments and was imprecise in finishing — factors that led Mourinho to substitute him and shift Jan Diomande to the left wing.

Statistically, Vinicius was among the least effective players on Mourinho's team that evening: he registered five shots on goal but missed two very good opportunities. A Madrid-based journalist even suggested he "could remain on the bench for upcoming matches."

Across the season so far Vinicius has scored only one goal and provided three assists in roughly 600 minutes on the field. Meanwhile, Barcelona's leading attackers continue to perform at a high level, intensifying comparisons between the clubs' offensive forms.

The reaction on social media was blunt; one post summed up the mood with the phrase "Worst performance this season." (— @newreyreal2, September 15, 2026).

Despite the criticism, Mourinho has defended his winger publicly. The pressure is now on Vinicius to regain the form that made him a decisive figure, or risk becoming a non-regular starter while the coach looks for more consistent options.

Photo: press material from the event