Opinion: Vini Jr. is the antagonist supreme but there’s no denying Real Madrid man’s quality

When Vini Jr. connected with Jude Bellingham’s pass in the second leg of Real Madrid’s Champions League match against Leipzig on Wednesday night, you knew there was only one place the ball was going to end up.

A swift and marauding counterattack from the Englishman was finished off in fine style by the Brazilian, and that is what the Los Blancos faithful come to see.

When Vini Jr is at his best, there’s no one to touch him.

Vini Jr. was lucky to still be on the pitch against Leipzig

However, the flip side of his personality shows traits that don’t belong on a football pitch, and some could legitimately argue that the player shouldn’t have still been on the field of play when he scored.

A few minutes previously, he had deliberately barged into a Leipzig player who then took umbrage, causing Vini Jr. to push his hands forcefully into his opponent’s chest.

It was an action worthy of at least another yellow as were at least two efforts of simulation during the game.

Here’s the rub.

As brilliant a player as he can be, Vini Jr. also revels in the role of antagoniser supreme. You can just tell he loves to wind up the opposition and their supporters.

Any chance he gets, even the slightest of touches, he’ll go down. He’ll draw fouls and also do his best to ensure that his transgressions go unpunished.

There’s no denying his quality, but he doesn’t need the theatrics to go with the rest of the package.