Vinicius Booed but Captains Real Madrid to Pre-Season Victory

Vinicius Jr. walked back into a starting XI and straight into a storm.

On his first start of Real Madrid’s pre-season, in a 1-0 win over Deportivo La Coruña at Riazor, the Brazilian not only wore the captain’s armband but also became the lightning rod for the home crowd. Every touch, every feint, every carry was met with a wall of whistles from a section of the Deportivo support.

He has heard worse. Trips away from the Santiago Bernabéu have rarely been gentle in recent seasons, and Riazor simply added another chapter. The noise barely altered his expression. The responsibility on his shoulders, though, was unmistakable.

Vinicius leads, still searching for rhythm

This was Vinicius’ first start of the summer and, despite his limited minutes so far, Mourinho did not hesitate. The Brazilian was made captain for the Teresa Herrera Trophy clash and given the keys to Real Madrid’s attack.

The pattern was obvious. When Madrid needed an outlet, teammates looked left. Find Vinicius. Let him carry the ball, draw markers, tilt the pitch.

He often dropped deeper, coming inside to receive and help Madrid progress play through the thirds. At times he linked smoothly, knitting moves together and dragging Deportivo defenders into uncomfortable areas. At others, the rust showed.

One loose pass summed up that lack of competitive rhythm. Misplaced in midfield, it opened the door for Deportivo to break through Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. The forward surged into space, briefly isolating himself against Madrid’s retreating back line as the home side tried to spring forward.

In the final third, Vinicius never quite found his usual edge. The explosive changes of direction, the decisive final ball, the clean finish – all a touch off. Still, for Madrid, this outing was about building his engine for the new season, not about a pre-season headline reel.

Carreras thrives off Vinicius’ gravity

If Vinicius did not decide the game, he bent it enough for others to profit.

Alvaro Carreras was the clearest beneficiary. Operating down the left, the full-back repeatedly used passes from Vinicius as a launchpad, surging into advanced positions and peppering the Deportivo box with crosses.

The dynamic was simple but effective: Vinicius drew bodies, Carreras attacked the space. When the Brazilian came short or inside, Carreras overlapped with intent, asking questions of a defence that struggled to track both.

It is early, and pre-season chemistry can flatter to deceive, but the understanding between the pair already looks like a potential weapon for Madrid. If Mourinho continues to funnel attacks down that flank, the Vinicius–Carreras connection could become a regular feature.

Riazor did not warm to either of them. Both were targeted by boos, as was Endrick, with the whistles towards the latter two also tied to flashpoints involving Deportivo players during the match. The soundtrack remained hostile until the final whistle.

Spanish Super Cup heads to Istanbul in 2027

While Vinicius was dealing with the noise in Galicia, a different kind of shift was confirmed off the pitch.

The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has announced that the 2027 Spanish Super Cup will be staged in Istanbul, at the Olympic Ataturk Stadium. It is a sharp change of course from recent editions hosted in Saudi Arabia, a partnership that had delivered significant revenue for the federation.

Ataturk Stadium is no stranger to major nights. It most recently staged the UEFA Champions League final in 2023, when Manchester City lifted the trophy.

Officially, the RFEF has pointed to the 2027 Asian Cup as the main reason for moving the competition. The regional calendar is crowded, and Saudi Arabia’s commitments as host of that tournament complicate logistics. The backdrop, though, includes the broader tensions in the Middle East that have already nudged other sports to relocate events. Formula One dropped its Bahrain and Saudi Arabian races earlier in the year, while the Qatar Grand Prix shifted to Malaysia.

For Spanish football’s showpiece, Istanbul is now the temporary stage.

One stadium, four giants

The format remains familiar. Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Real Sociedad will contest the 2027 Super Cup, with all matches played at the Olympic Ataturk Stadium between February 2 and February 7. One city, one venue, four clubs with very different agendas.

For Madrid, it is more than another trophy on the calendar. Barcelona have dominated the competition in recent years, winning three of the last four editions. Madrid’s last Super Cup triumph came in 2024. Since then, the balance in this particular duel has tilted towards Catalonia.

That makes Istanbul a pressure point for the European champions. A chance to reassert themselves in a tournament where Barcelona have been landing the heavier blows. The RFEF has already confirmed the Super Cup will return to Saudi Arabia in 2028.

By then, Vinicius and this Madrid side will have written several more chapters. The question is whether one of them will be a statement week in Istanbul, in a stadium built for decisive nights.