Real Madrid travelled to Greece with their defensive line held together by tape and hope—five senior defenders missing, Thibaut Courtois absent, and a storm gathering around their form.
Yet amid the chaos in Athens, the club’s attacking brilliance took center stage, sweeping Olympiacos aside in a Champions League clash that turned into a showcase of individual statement performances.
Vinicius Junior Chase for Greatness Inside the Champions League Record Books
Kylian Mbappé delivered the kind of spectacle that bends history to his will: four goals, a feat achieved by only three other Real Madrid players in European Cup or Champions League play—Cristiano Ronaldo, Ferenc Puskás, and Alfredo Di Stéfano.
His night dominated the headlines, yet it wasn’t the only moment of significance.
Vinicius Junior, under scrutiny this season for his tense relationship with Xabi Alonso and his visible frustration on the pitch, pulled the spotlight briefly toward himself with two incisive assists.
Though rumours continue to swirl about his unwillingness to extend his contract under the current circumstances, cameras did capture a rare warm exchange between player and coach during the trip.
Those two assists carried statistical weight.
They lifted Vinicius Jr to 27 Champions League assists for Real Madrid—drawing him level with Karim Benzema and placing him within striking distance of Cristiano Ronaldo’s club record of 31.
For a 2024 Ballon d’Or runner-up who was once seen as Madrid’s future, it’s a reminder of the impact he still makes when the stage glows brightest.
Real Madrid’s historical assist chart now stands as follows:
- Cristiano Ronaldo — 31
- Vinicius Junior — 27
- Karim Benzema — 27
- Marcelo — 24
Vinicius registered seven assists in the 2021–22 Champions League campaign alone, making it wholly plausible—if he remains at the club—that he could surpass Ronaldo before the end of the 2025–26 season.
But that “if” looms larger by the week.
His contract moves into its final 18 months once the January window opens.
By next summer, Real Madrid face the risk of losing one of their biggest stars as a free agent in 2027.
If no renewal comes, the club may be forced into a reluctant sale, yet Vinicius’s ambitions complicate the equation.
Determined to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Mbappé in status and salary, he faces a narrowing field of suitors.
Very few clubs in Europe can meet his reported wage demands—figures around €30 million a year.
Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City appear the only realistic destinations, though neither option is simple.
PSG, post-Mbappé, have moved away from superstar-centric squads. City, meanwhile, play in a Premier League that has shifted back toward bruising physicality—a less natural environment for Vinicius’s style.
Saudi Arabia remains the financial outlier, but the trade-off in global reach, competitive standards, and footballing legacy is steep.
So while Vinicius chases Ronaldo’s record on the pitch, another race runs parallel—one that could define the next chapter of his career.
Real Madrid, caught between history and uncertainty, may soon face decisions as decisive as any made under the Champions League floodlights.
