Vinicius Booed Yet Leads Real Madrid to Victory Over Deportivo

The scoreboard said pre-season friendly. The noise inside Riazor said anything but.

Vinicius Jr. made his first start of Real Madrid’s summer in a 1-0 win over Deportivo La Coruña, and did so with the captain’s armband strapped to his left arm. Every time the ball went near him, a section of the home crowd let him know exactly what they thought.

The Brazilian, playing his first game at Riazor, was met with boos and whistles from the moment he first touched the ball. It did not relent. Touch, jeer, touch, jeer. A loop that ran through the night.

He has lived this before. From grounds across La Liga to Champions League away days, Vinicius has become used to hostile receptions far from the Santiago Bernabeu. At Riazor, the soundtrack was familiar, and he simply folded it into his work.

Vinicius handed responsibility in first start

This was not a gentle reintroduction. In his first start of pre-season, Mourinho handed him the armband and a central role in the attack, even though he is still playing his way into rhythm.

Real Madrid’s plan was obvious. When they needed a way out, they looked for Vinicius. When they wanted to accelerate, they looked for Vinicius. He dropped off the flank, came short, offered himself between the lines and tried to drag Deportivo’s defensive block out of shape.

The intent was there, the sharpness not always. The lack of competitive minutes showed in flashes. One loose pass in particular summed up the rust: it allowed Deportivo to spring a counter-attack, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang suddenly isolated and driving forward as the home side tried to break.

The final ball from Vinicius was not at its usual level. He did not carve open the defence or decide the game in the final third. But this outing was less about highlights and more about load, touches, and building towards the start of Real Madrid’s season. Another step, another 90 minutes under his belt, another night leading the line in every sense.

Carreras rides the wave on the left

If Vinicius did not light up the scoresheet, he still changed the landscape around him. Alvaro Carreras was the clearest beneficiary.

Operating on the left, the full-back used Vinicius’ movements and passes as a launchpad. When the Brazilian drew markers inside or forced defenders to shuffle across, Carreras surged into the spaces left behind. He repeatedly got into promising positions and troubled the Deportivo back line with a series of crosses.

There was a hint of something more long-term in that connection. If Mourinho continues to funnel attacks down the left, the understanding between Vinicius and Carreras could become a key pattern for Madrid: one attracting pressure, the other exploiting it.

The hostility from the stands was not reserved for Vinicius alone. Carreras also drew whistles from sections of the Riazor crowd, as did Endrick, whose clashes with Deportivo players during the game only added fuel. The atmosphere stayed raw, the tension audible.

Vinicius walked off without a goal, but with the armband worn, the boos absorbed, and another piece of his pre-season puzzle in place. The real judgement will come when the competitive games start and those rehearsed patterns on the left have to deliver when it truly counts.

Spanish Super Cup heads to Istanbul in 2027

Far from Riazor, another decision with Spanish football at its core was made in the boardroom.

The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has confirmed that the 2027 Spanish Super Cup will leave Saudi Arabia and be staged in Istanbul, at the Olympic Ataturk Stadium. It is a sharp break from recent editions, which have been held in Saudi Arabia and have brought significant revenue into the federation’s accounts.

Ataturk Stadium is no stranger to big European nights. It last hosted 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 the switch away from Saudi Arabia. Yet the backdrop is impossible to ignore. Tensions in the Middle East have already forced changes across sport: Formula One dropped its Bahrain and Saudi Arabian races earlier in the year, while the Qatar Grand Prix moved to Malaysia. Football is now adjusting too.

The Super Cup will not be gone from Saudi Arabia for long. The RFEF has already confirmed the competition will return there in 2028.

Four giants, one stadium, one week

On the pitch, the 2027 edition promises heavyweight clashes in a compact, high-intensity format.

Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Real Sociedad will contest the trophy in Istanbul. The tournament will run from February 2 to February 7, with every match played at the Olympic Ataturk Stadium. One city, one ground, four clubs, and a trophy that has taken on fresh importance in recent years.

For Real Madrid, it carries a particular edge. Barcelona have dominated the recent history of the competition, winning three of the last four editions. Madrid’s last Super Cup triumph came in 2024, and since then they have watched their greatest rivals celebrate.

In Istanbul, with Barcelona again in the mix and Atletico and Real Sociedad ready to spoil any script, Madrid will arrive knowing the label is unavoidable: this one feels like a must-win.