The replacement of Ibrahim Dias causes criticism of Arbeloa. So what happened?

Real Madrid held on for a valuable win over Espanyol on a thrilling night thanks to the brilliance of their Brazilian star Vinicius Junior, who put in an exceptional performance to steer his side to avoid relegation, which would have given Barcelona an early chance of the title.

Real Madrid went into the game knowing that any negative result could pave the way for their Catalan rivals to claim the crown, but their first-half display fell short of expectations.

Coach Alvaro Arbeloa surprised everyone with a squad that lacked outspoken striker Gonzalo, preferring to rely on Thiago Petas and Ibrahim Diaz up front, a decision that drew widespread criticism, notably from analyst Alvaro Benito, who pointed to a “lack of attacking balance”.

At the start of the second half, Arbeloa decided to change the course by bringing on Gonzalo, changing the course of the match.

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The young striker needed just one touch to make the difference as he played a perfect pass to Vinicius who dribbled and fired a brilliant shot into the net for the first goal in a way that confirmed his high technical value.

“That’s the advantage of playing with an absolute striker who gives you depth and frees up the wings,” referring to the direct influence of Gonzalo, who has revitalized Real’s attack, Benito said.

But Vinicius did not stop there. Minutes later he returned to score the second goal with a stunning leg kick, a goal that Benito described as “world class”, adding:

The Brazilian player, who was criticized during the program because of his emotions and the provocations of his opponents, responded in the best way with his performance and goals. He put in an all-round display that combined skill and efficiency, confirming that he is one of the most influential players in Europe at the moment.

Read also: Canceled red card and increasing tension. Hot night between Vinicius and Omar El Hilali.

For his part, Gonzalo proved to be the trump card Real needed as his presence as a direct forward forced Espanyol’s defenders back and opened up spaces for Vinicius, who cleverly used them to make the difference.

With the win, Real Madrid kept their title hopes alive and sent a clear message that the team is still capable of competing despite absences and injuries. As for Vinicius, he left the match as the most outstanding star after combining artistic beauty and determination at crucial moments.