- UCL: Vinicius Surpasses Messi Despite Madrid Exit
- Real Madrid crashed out after 6-4 aggregate defeat to Bayern Munich.
- Camavinga red card controversy influenced late turnaround in match.
Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr set a new milestone in the UEFA Champions League knockout stages despite his side’s elimination by Bayern Munich in a dramatic quarter final clash.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that the Brazilian winger registered an assist for Kylian Mbappe during the 4-3 second leg defeat on April 15, a result that confirmed Madrid’s 6-4 aggregate exit from the competition.
With the assist, Vinicius moved to 13 assists in 41 Champions League knockout appearances, surpassing Lionel Messi’s record of 12 assists from 77 matches. He now sits behind Cristiano Ronaldo, who leads the chart with 15 assists in 85 knockout games.
Vinicius, who has already won two Champions League titles with Real Madrid, is seen as a strong contender to challenge Ronaldo’s record if he maintains his current form. Messi has four titles, while Ronaldo holds five, including four with Real Madrid and one with Manchester United.
The match, however, was overshadowed by controversy following the dismissal of Eduardo Camavinga late in the game.
With Madrid leading 3-2 in the 62nd minute, coach Alvaro Arbeloa introduced Camavinga to stabilise the midfield. The French midfielder was first booked for a late challenge before receiving a second yellow card in the 86th minute for delaying a free kick.
Bayern Munich capitalised on the numerical advantage, with Luis Diaz and Michael Olise scoring late goals to secure progression for the German side.
Reacting after the match, Bayern defender Josip Stanisic questioned the referee’s decision and suggested the dismissal may have been an error.
“I don’t believe the referee was aware that he had already issued a yellow card to Camavinga. If he had known, he would not have shown the second yellow. Referees seem to have lost their ability to manage significant matches somewhat,” Stanisic told MadridZone.
Camavinga’s red card mirrors a similar incident from last season’s quarter final first leg against Arsenal, where he was sent off in a 3-0 defeat. Madrid eventually lost that tie 5-1 on aggregate.
