“He’s a difference maker” – Real Sociedad coach lavishes praise on Real Madrid star ahead of La Liga face off
Real Sociedad head coach Imanol Alguacil lavished praise on Real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior ahead of his club's crunch La Liga clash against Los Blancos on May 2.
The Spanish tactician went on to label Vinicius as a difference maker for Carlo Ancelotti's side, while also acknowledging the impact of other Real Madrid stars.
Vinicius is currently having a remarkable 2022-23 football campaign with Los Blancos, as is among the top performing players this season.
The 22-year-old winger has registered 22 goals and 20 assists across competitions for Real Madrid this season, making him the player with the most goal contributions for Ancelotti's side (42).
Speaking about the Brazilian's brilliance for Madrid this season, Imanol Alguacil said that Vinicius is having a great season with Los Blancos. He said:
"Yes, because he’s been showing that he’s a difference maker, but sometimes when Vinicius is there, it’s other players who have won the match."
Alguacil continued:
"It’s clear that he [Vinicius] is having a great season, as his numbers show, but when he doesn’t have his day, others appear and those others are going to be on the pitch."
"It’s crazy what this Madrid and this coach are doing" - Real Sociedad manager sends warning to his team ahead of Real Madrid clash
Imanol Alguacil warned his team about their La Liga opponents Real Madrid ahead of the clash at the Reale Arena on May 2. Sociedad will fancy their chances of getting a win at home, having secured a point in the reverse fixture at the Santiago Bernabeu.
However, Alguacil stated that despite Real Madrid's shocking 4-2 defeat against Girona, they still pose a serious threat to his team. He stressed that Los Blancos are capable of winning every game that they play. He said:
"No matter whether they have the final, a team like Madrid likes to win everything and, even if they are missing some very important players, they are going to be a very, very competitive team."
Alguacil continued:
"It’s crazy what this Madrid and this coach are doing! I’m convinced that it’s not going to be like Girona."
"I don’t think Madrid will have another slip-up like the one in Girona, it’s very difficult for it to happen twice in a row, so we’re going to see the best version of them, because they’re up against a great rival and we’ve earned their respect, they play differently."