Vinicius Booed but Leads Real Madrid to Victory Over Deportivo
Vinicius Jr’s first start of Real Madrid’s pre-season came with a captain’s armband on his sleeve and a wall of noise in his ears.
At Riazor, in a 1-0 win over Deportivo La Coruña that delivered the Teresa Herrera Trophy, the Brazilian forward walked out as skipper for the first time this summer and for the first time at Depor’s historic home. The welcome was hostile. A section of the home support booed almost every touch.
He has heard worse. From grounds across La Liga to European away days, Vinicius has grown used to being the lightning rod. At Riazor, he simply went back to work.
Vinicius leads the line – and the build-up
With this his first start of the summer, Vinicius is still short of full sharpness, but Mourinho did not shelter him. Quite the opposite. The coach loaded responsibility onto his No. 7 and made him the reference point of Madrid’s attack.
Whenever Madrid needed an outlet, the pattern was obvious: find Vinicius, let him carry the ball, let him decide. He drifted into pockets, dropped off the front line, showed for passes and tried to drag Deportivo’s shape out of position.
The rust showed. One loose ball in midfield gifted Deportivo a rare opening, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang springing forward on the counter before finding himself isolated as the move fizzled out. In the final third, Vinicius lacked his usual incision, the split-second timing and clean execution that define his best nights.
But this outing was never about a pre-season highlight reel. It was about minutes, rhythm, responsibility. On that front, it was another important step towards the new Real Madrid season.
All the while, the boos rained down. They did not change his role, or Madrid’s plan.
Carreras thrives in the space he creates
If Vinicius did not decide the game himself, he shaped it for others.
Alvaro Carreras, operating down the left, fed off the Brazilian’s presence. Each time Vinicius drew defenders inside or demanded the ball under pressure, Carreras burst into the gaps, using sharp passes from his captain to get into advanced positions.
From there, the left-back repeatedly tested the Deportivo defence with crosses, turning half-chances into moments of real concern for the home back line. The early understanding between the pair stood out, hinting at a partnership that could become a key feature of Madrid’s left flank if Mourinho continues to funnel attacks through that side.
Carreras, like Vinicius, became a target for the whistles. Endrick joined them as another focus of the Riazor crowd’s ire, though in the cases of Carreras and Endrick the hostility stemmed from flashpoints with Deportivo players during the match.
Vinicius, though, remained the central figure – captain, focal point, and lightning rod – in a narrow pre-season win that was more about preparation than spectacle.
Spanish Super Cup leaves Saudi Arabia for Istanbul in 2027
Away from the pitch in La Coruña, Spanish football absorbed a significant decision off it.
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 staged at the Olympic Ataturk Stadium. It marks a major shift from recent editions, which have been held in Saudi Arabia and have delivered substantial revenue to the federation.
Ataturk Stadium is no stranger to high-profile nights. It hosted the UEFA Champions League final in 2023, when Manchester City lifted the trophy.
Officially, the RFEF points to the 2027 Asian Cup as the key reason for relocating the Super Cup. Yet the decision comes against the backdrop of ongoing tensions in the Middle East, a situation already reshaping the global sporting calendar. Formula One has abandoned races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia this year, while the Qatar Grand Prix has been moved to Malaysia. Football is now following that trend, at least temporarily.
The RFEF has already set the next step: the Super Cup is scheduled to return to Saudi Arabia in 2028.
Four giants, one stadium, one week
The 2027 edition will bring together Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Real Sociedad in Istanbul. The tournament will run from February 2 to February 7, with the entire competition played at the Olympic Ataturk Stadium.
For Real Madrid, it carries an extra edge. Barcelona have dominated the recent history of the Super Cup, winning three of the last four editions. Madrid’s last triumph came in 2024, and since then they have watched their greatest rivals turn the competition into a stage of their own.
A new city, a single stadium, four heavyweights. For Madrid, humbled too often by Barcelona in this tournament in recent years, Istanbul in 2027 will not just be another Super Cup. It will be a test of whether they can seize back a trophy that has slipped into Catalan hands.
