Vinicius Booed but Leads Real Madrid to Victory Against Deportivo
Vinicius Jr’s first start of Real Madrid’s pre-season came with a captain’s armband, a 1-0 win and a wall of noise against him at Riazor.
Every touch, every feint, every simple pass from the Brazilian drew boos from sections of the Deportivo La Coruña crowd during the Teresa Herrera Trophy clash. His first appearance at the stadium became a test of temperament as much as fitness.
Hostility is nothing new for Vinicius away from the Santiago Bernabeu, and he treated this like another hostile night on the road. The jeers did not change his role: he remained one of Madrid’s main attacking outlets, tasked with dragging his team up the pitch.
Mourinho leans on Vinicius in first pre-season start
This was Vinicius’ first start of the summer, yet Mourinho did not ease him back in. He gave him the armband and the responsibility that comes with it.
Whenever Madrid needed to breathe or build, the instruction was obvious: find Vinicius. He dropped deep, came inside, showed for the ball and tried to stitch attacks together from the left.
The rust was visible. His timing in the final third was off at moments, his dribbling not yet at full throttle. One loose pass summed up his lack of rhythm, handing Deportivo a chance to break through Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who briefly found space as the hosts tried to surge forward.
Even so, this was about minutes, not a masterpiece. For Vinicius, it was another step towards full sharpness before the new Real Madrid season begins, taken in a stadium that made sure he heard every second of it.
Carreras thrives on Vinicius’ gravity
If Vinicius did not light up the game with goals or assists, he still bent it around him. His presence on the left dragged markers, opened corridors and allowed others to profit.
Alvaro Carreras was the clearest beneficiary. The left-back repeatedly used passes from Vinicius to burst into advanced positions, slinging crosses into the Deportivo box and asking questions of a defence that struggled when forced to turn.
There were flashes of an understanding that could matter for Madrid in competitive action. With attacks funnelling through Vinicius on that flank, Carreras had licence to overlap and attack space, a pattern Mourinho may lean on when the real games arrive.
The crowd did not spare them. Both Vinicius and Carreras were met with whistles from parts of the Riazor stands, while Endrick was also targeted after incidents involving Deportivo players during the match. The contest drifted at times, but the edge from the terraces never really disappeared.
Spanish Super Cup leaves Saudi Arabia for Istanbul in 2027
Away from the pre-season grind, Spanish football is bracing for a different kind of change.
The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has confirmed that the 2027 Spanish Super Cup will be moved from Saudi Arabia to Istanbul, with all matches to be played at the Olympic Ataturk Stadium. It is a significant break from recent editions, which have been staged in Saudi Arabia and have delivered substantial revenue to the federation.
Ataturk Stadium, which hosted the UEFA Champions League final in 2023 won by Manchester City, will now stage Spain’s four-team showpiece between February 2 and February 7, 2027. Every game will be played in that one arena.
The RFEF has pointed to the 2027 Asian Cup as the main reason for shifting the tournament away from Saudi Arabia. The broader tensions in the Middle East have also reshaped the sporting calendar this year, with Formula One dropping its Bahrain and Saudi Arabian races and moving the Qatar Grand Prix to Malaysia. Football is now following that pattern, at least temporarily.
The arrangement is not permanent. The RFEF has already stated that the Super Cup is scheduled to return to Saudi Arabia in 2028.
Real Madrid under pressure in Istanbul
Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Real Sociedad will contest the 2027 edition in Istanbul. One stadium, four clubs, one week.
For Madrid, it will carry a particular edge. Barcelona have dominated the competition in recent years, lifting three of the last four Super Cups. Madrid’s last triumph came in 2024, and since then they have watched their great rival turn the trophy into familiar territory.
A neutral stage, a hostile noise, and a trophy Barcelona have made their own: for Real Madrid, Istanbul in February 2027 is already starting to look like a date they cannot afford to let slip.
