Real Madrid are set to face Atletico Madrid in their next La Liga match of the season on September 27 at Metropolitano Stadium.
Los Blancos have made an impressive start to the campaign with a winning streak in all seven matches across competitions so far, ranking at the top of the league table with 18 points.
One of the prevailing concerns for Real Madrid fans now has been over Vinicius Jr's future at Santiago Bernabeu. Several reports have suggested that Los Blancos and the Brazilian star are unable to reach an agreement over a new contract.
Vinicius, whose contract with the Spanish giants is set to expire next summer, is reportedly asking for an increased salary similar to that of Kylian Mbappe. However, Real Madrid are reluctant to meet those demands.
Now, amid this situation and ahead of the first Madrid derby of the season, Real Madrid head coach Xabi Alonso has hailed Vinicius as a 'fundamental player' of the team.
What did Xabi Alonso say about Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr?
Vinicius has not been established as a guaranteed starter under Alonso as of yet, starting from the bench in two out of his seven appearances, during which he has recorded three goals and three assists.
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In his pre-match press conference on Friday, Alonso heaped praise on the winger's performance in Madrid's last league clash and said,
"Vini is a fundamental player for us. The other day [against Levante] he played a great game. I really liked a lot of things that he did. I like to see him smiling," as per ESPN.
It remains to be seen if Vinicius makes it to the starting squad for Saturday's derby. Real Madrid have claimed 45 victories in 119 matches against Atletico at the Metropolitano Stadium, while Los Rojiblancos have secured 43 wins at home.
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