Carlo Ancelotti defends Vinícius Júnior as key player for Brazil

Carlo Ancelotti has expressed his support for Vinícius Júnior, describing the Real Madrid forward as a ‘key player’ for the Brazilian national team. Despite a challenging start to the season where the 26-year-old has scored only one goal in eight appearances, Ancelotti remains confident in the player's ability to return to peak form.

Vinícius demonstrated his quality during Brazil's 4-2 friendly victory over Australia in Brisbane, contributing to the third goal and scoring a penalty for the fourth. Ancelotti, who previously coached the player at Real Madrid, noted that while Vinícius may not be at his best currently, he remains capable of making a difference even in suboptimal form. Ancelotti stated that he will show ‘great patience’ because the player deserves it.