The Japan Times - Vinicius revival can help Arbeloa's Real Madrid lift-off

Second-placed Madrid can move top of the table with a victory before leaders Barcelona host Real Oviedo on Sunday and crush the threat of another title contender at the same time as they head to Spain's east coast.

Marcelino Garcia Toral's Villarreal are third, seven points behind Madrid and eight off champions Barca, and a defeat would virtually write off any chance of a first ever title.

An emphatic 6-1 victory over Monaco on Tuesday in the Champions League helped brighten the gloom in the Spanish capital and earn new coach Alvaro Arbeloa a modicum of credit.

It was the first glimpse of what his team might look like, after the Copa del Rey last 16 defeat against Albacete in his first match at the helm was the performance of a club deep in the doldrums, two days after Xabi Alonso's departure.

Arbeloa's second match, a win over Levante in La Liga last weekend, was marked by a monumental show of dissent from home fans, the shadow of which the team struggled to emerge from.

However with the fans behind them again against Monaco, Madrid put in their best performance of the season with Brazilian winger Vinicius offering a sensational display in particular.

After going 16 games in a row without finding the net, Vinicius has now scored two in his last four matches.

Beyond a delightful solo goal against Monaco, he was a persistent threat and played key parts in three more of his team's strikes.

"I think he's a player who thrives when he gets love," said team-mate Jude Bellingham. "He goes up leaps and bounds in his game and becomes so much more joyful to watch and to play with.

"I think that's the pressure that the kind of whistles put on a player. But now it seems like he's free from those shackles a little bit and hopefully he can continue."

Vinicius himself admitted he needed the Bernabeu by his side rather than on his back.

"We have to keep going and have the support of our fans so that everything returns to normal," said the winger.

"We want to win, the fans want it too, and if we stick together, we're going to achieve great things this season."

The winger ran over to hug his coach Arbeloa after scoring, after the Spaniard had defended him publicly over the last week.

"I saw the fans completely devoted to Vinicius, chanting his name... I said it the other day, he needs to feel loved by his people, he's very emotional and he needs that affection," said the coach.

Vinicius, who finished as runner-up in the Ballon d'Or rankings in 2024, has struggled for consistency ever since.

The 25-year-old's contract at Madrid runs out in the summer of 2027 and for months he has been in an apparent stand-off with the club over renewing it.

In the days after his sizzling performance against Monaco, that situation seems to be slowly easing too.

"Renewal talks are gathering pace. Despite a bruising week, the Brazilian knows that Real Madrid as an institution are firmly behind him," wrote Spanish newspaper AS.

"Vinicius needed the backing of his own to rise from the ashes –- and the embrace, first from his teammates and then from Alvaro Arbeloa, made that clear."

Arbeloa has indicated from the beginning of his reign that a happy Vinicius will lead to a happy Madrid.

Both parties are keen to ensure the good vibes continue this weekend at Villarreal's Estadio de la Ceramica.

Player to watch: Frenkie de Jong

Barcelona's Dutch midfielder De Jong will have to take a step forward and help control midfield in the absence of his usual partner Pedri, who will be out for the next month. Visitors Oviedo may not pose much of a threat after just two victories in their first 20 games.

Key stats

23 - goals and assists combined for Real Madrid's red-hot forward Kylian Mbappe

25 - years since Real Oviedo faced Barca at Camp Nou

64 - fouls drawn by Elche midfielder Aleix Febas, more than any other player in La Liga

Fixtures

Friday (all times GMT)

Levante v Elche (2000)

Saturday

Rayo Vallecano v Osasuna (1300), Valencia v Espanyol (1415), Sevilla v Athletic Bilbao (1730), Villarreal v Real Madrid (2000)

Sunday

Atletico Madrid v Mallorca (1300), Barcelona v Real Oviedo (1515), Real Sociedad v Celta Vigo (1730), Alaves v Real Betis (2000)

Monday

Girona v Getafe (2000)

Y.Hara--JT