Vinicius Booed Yet Leads Real Madrid to Victory Over Deportivo
Vinicius Jr. walked out at Riazor with the captain’s armband on and a wall of noise ringing in his ears. Real Madrid’s 1-0 win over Deportivo La Coruña in the Teresa Herrera Trophy was his first start of pre-season – and the home crowd made sure he felt it.
Every touch from the Brazilian drew boos from sections of the stands. It did not relent. From his first reception on the left touchline to his last involvement, the soundtrack was the same.
He has heard worse. Hostile nights away from the Santiago Bernabéu have become part of his story in Spain, and this one did not knock him off his stride as one of Madrid’s main attacking outlets. José Mourinho still placed the responsibility on him: first start of the summer, captain’s armband, focal point of the build-up.
Whenever Madrid needed an escape route, the pattern was obvious – find Vinicius. He dropped off the flank, came short, asked for the ball under pressure and tried to drag his team up the pitch. The intent was there, the rhythm not quite.
The rust showed in flashes. One loose pass in midfield opened the door for Deportivo, who sprang forward through Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. The forward found himself isolated as the hosts tried to break with numbers, a reminder that Madrid’s control could still slip with a single mistake.
In the final third, Vinicius lacked his usual edge. The feints were a fraction slower, the combinations not yet automatic. But this outing was less about highlights and more about minutes – another step toward full sharpness before the new Real Madrid season begins.
Carreras rides the wave on the left
If Vinicius did not light up the game with goals, he changed the landscape for those around him. Alvaro Carreras, operating behind him on the left, used the Brazilian’s movement as a reference point and a weapon.
Whenever Vinicius dragged markers inside or pinned his full-back, Carreras surged into the space. The full-back repeatedly received passes in advanced positions, swung in several crosses and forced Deportivo’s defence to constantly shuffle across.
There was the outline of an understanding there. If Mourinho continues to channel attacks down that flank, the Vinicius–Carreras link could become a key feature of Madrid’s left side.
The Riazor crowd did not spare either of them. Boos followed Carreras as well, while Endrick also became a target during the match, his treatment tied to flashpoints involving Deportivo players over the 90 minutes. The atmosphere was raw, and it stayed that way.
Spanish Super Cup leaves Saudi Arabia for Istanbul in 2027
Away from the friendly in Galicia, Spanish football is bracing for a very different kind of change. The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has confirmed that the 2027 Spanish Super Cup will move from Saudi Arabia to Istanbul, with the Olympic Ataturk Stadium chosen as host.
It is a significant break from recent editions, which have been staged in Saudi Arabia and generated major revenue for the RFEF. Ataturk Stadium is no stranger to big occasions – 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 factor in shifting the Super Cup away from Saudi Arabia. The regional calendar is crowded, and dates clash. But the wider backdrop is impossible to ignore. Tensions in the Middle East have already pushed several sports to redraw their maps: Formula One dropped its Bahrain and Saudi Arabian races earlier this year, while the Qatar Grand Prix moved to Malaysia.
Football is now following that pattern, at least temporarily. The RFEF has already stated that the Super Cup is scheduled to return to Saudi Arabia in 2028.
Four-way fight in Istanbul
On the pitch, the cast is set. Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Real Sociedad will contest the 2027 Spanish Super Cup in Istanbul.
The tournament will run from February 2 to February 7, with every match played at the Olympic Ataturk Stadium. One city, one venue, four clubs, one trophy.
For Real Madrid, it carries an edge. Barcelona have dominated the recent history of the competition, winning three of the last four editions. Madrid’s last Super Cup triumph dates back to 2024, a gap that stings at a club built on collecting silverware.
By the time February 2027 arrives, Vinicius should be long past pre-season rust and friendly jeers in La Coruña. The question is simple: in Istanbul, can Madrid wrest control of a trophy that has quietly slipped into Barcelona’s hands?
