Manager Alvaro Arbeloa has brushed aside talk of a commitment comparison between Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe after Real Madrid secured a 2-0 win over RCD Espanyol in La Liga on Sunday.
Vinicius scored twice at RCDE Stadium to seal all three points, continuing his strong run in front of goal.
Speaking after the match, Arbeloa rejected the suggestion that the Brazilian shows more commitment than Mbappe, who missed the trip through injury.
“I don’t compare players. We need all the players, I’ve always said it, you need all the players’ commitment to win games,” he said.
“It hurts me when I see other teams run more than us. We need the commitment of all the players if you want to be a complete team.
“Talent alone is not enough. This is Real Madrid. Players have to understand what Real Madrid is.”
Mbappe sat out the fixture while recovering from a hamstring problem.
Meanwhile, the brace also lifted Vinicius into rare company in Madrid history. He has now joined an exclusive group of club legends who scored 20 or more goals in all competitions across at least five consecutive seasons.
That list includes Karim Benzema, Cristiano Ronaldo, Raul, Hugo Sanchez, Ferenc Puskas, Pahino and Alfredo Di Stefano.
The 25-year-old winger joined Madrid from CR Flamengo in 2018 and continues to cement his place among the club’s most consistent scorers.
