Desailly: Real Madrid should have sold Vinicius.. his partnership with Mbappé failed

Former French star Marcel Desailly believes Real Madrid should have sold Brazilian Vinicius Junior during the last summer transfer window, stating that the attacking partnership between him and Frenchman Kylian Mbappé did not achieve the expected success and negatively affected the team's balance.

Marcel Desailly, who won the FIFA World Cup in 1998 with the France national team, stated in remarks to beIN Sports: "I think Real Madrid should have allowed Vinicius to leave. The team needs to look for other players. We are talking again about the partnership between Kylian Mbappé and Vinicius, and this partnership has not proven successful."

He added: "From my personal perspective as an analyst, I believe that his departure would be better for him, and let's see if he can rid himself of all the negative thoughts and opinions directed against him."

Desailly's statement comes amid Vinicius Junior's decline, who renewed his contract with Real Madrid until 2032 after lengthy negotiations that saw reports of Arsenal's interest in signing him. The former French star believes that the player's departure could have given the club a chance to rebuild its attacking line and achieve a better balance among its stars.

Vinicius Junior faces increased pressure after being substituted during the match between Real Madrid and Roma in the UEFA Champions League, following a moment where he lost the ball that led to the Italian team's second goal. The match saw a strong comeback from Real Madrid thanks to the substitutes, while the player expressed his displeasure at the decision to substitute him.

The Brazilian winger faces a four-match suspension in LaLiga following his red card against Villarreal, which will prevent him from participating in several important matches, including the clásico against FC Barcelona.