Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has showered encomiums on Vinicius Junior following his decisive performance in the entertaining 4-4 draw against Real Sociedad at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The Brazilian forward was impressive with two stunning assists to help Real Madrid book a place in the Copa dey Rey final.
Ander Barrenetxea gave the visitors the lead in the 16th minute before Endrick brought Real Madrid back into the game in the 30th minute.
Real Sociedad raced to a 3-1 lead after 80 minutes thanks to an own goal from David Alaba, and a strike from Mikel Oyarzabal.
Jude Bellingham, and Aurelio Tchouameni scored two goals within four minutes to make it 3-3 before Mikel Oyarzabal scored to give Real Sociedad a 4-3 lead in the 93rd minute to force the match into extra time.
Antonio Rudiger scored a glancing header in extra time to make it 4-4 to send Real Madrid through to the final of the competition with a 5-4 aggregate win after winning the first leg 1-0.
Carlo Ancelotti was full of praise for Vinicius, while admitting that the team made too many mistakes.
He said: “Right now, I think Vinicius is the most decisive player in the world.
“Everything he does is a dribble away from a defender, an assist or a goal, and he does it for the full 90 minutes – he just never stops.
“It’s what we ask of Endrick, to be ready. He made a good run, a good pass from Vinícius and a fantastic finish. That’s Endrick, he doesn’t touch the ball much, but he’s very clinical.
“It was an entertaining game with a lot of goals, and a lot of good things We’ve achieved our objective, we’re in another final.
“A lot of good things, a lot of mistakes, but in the end, we did it. To concede four goals is not good. It’s a team that is clinical in front of goal, but we had little balance, although scoring four goals against Real Sociedad is not easy.
“We had a bit of bad luck, Alaba touched the ball twice. These are things that can happen. But conceding 4 goals is not good. We scored 4 but we didn’t have balance. We are a team that has little balance, but that has a lot in attack. Scoring four goals against Real Sociedad is not so easy.”
Ancelotti insisted that he refused to give up despite going 3-1 down with 10 minutes to go.
He said: “I never thought we were out,” he said. “Anything can happen in the Bernabéu, above all in these games with this kind of atmosphere, when we have to fight back. We never give up.”
Endrick, who has endured a frustrating time at the Santiago Bernabeu with limited playing time has now scored five goals in five Copa dey Rey matches.
He said: “I have to make the most of it when I play. I know how difficult it is to play here, with the four best in the world in attack. Vini, Kylian, Jude and Rodrygo are incredible players, but when I have an opportunity, I have to help the team.”
Real Madrid will play the winner between Barcelona, and Atletico Madrid in the final of the competition on April 26.
Up next for Ancelotti’s team is a La Liga clash against Valencia on Saturday at the Santiago Bernabeu.
