Copa del Rey 2018-19: Vinícius looked the best player on the pitch but Dembélé had the last laugh
Vinícius Júnior of Real Madrid might have stolen the show last night, but it was Barcelona's Ousmane Dembélé who made the decisive contribution in the Copa Del Rey semi-final against Real Madrid as Barcelona beat their arch rivals 3-0 on the night and 4-1 on aggregate.
The 21-year-old French attacker started the game slowly and came into his rhythm in the second half when he set Luis Suárez up after making a clever run in the left wing which was spotted by Jordi Alba. This was Dembélé's 6th assist this season, and he has also scored 13 times.
Later in the game, it was his cross from the right side of the field that Raphaël Varane found difficult to deal with, eventually putting the ball in the back of his own net.
On the other hand, Vinícius Júnior was in scintillating form on the right wing for Madrid and went past Nélson Semedo numerous times. In the second half, he tore the Barcelona defence apart and left Gerard Pique for dead, shooting just wide of the left-hand corner of Marc-André ter Stegen’s goal.
The former Flamengo winger completed as many as 5 successful dribbles throughout the game with three key passes. The only thing that was lacking in his game was finishing, and his naivety in front of the goal cost Madrid the game and the tie.
Dembélé might not have been as influential as Vinicius was throughout the game, but we did get a glimpse of the talent he possesses. He was more clinical in making the final decisions, and his natural ability to turn a game on his own shone brightly.
Vinícius was undoubtedly the man of the match by a country mile, and he has been the only spark in Real Madrid’s below par season along with Karim Benzema. Every time he received the ball, the Bernabéu got on their feet; it was really a treat to watch an 18-year-old boy making his mark on such a big stage.
Vinicius's pace, trickery and flair were too much to handle for the Barcelona defenders, and to be honest they all looked clueless in front of him. As a reward for his stunning display in recent times, he has been called up to the Brazil squad for the first time.
It will be fascinating to see who will come out on top when Dembele and Vinicius face each other once again on Saturday night, at the Santiago Bernabéu.