Former Real Madrid star Julio Baptista has come to the defence of Vinicius Jr. ahead of the Champions League meeting between the Spanish giants and AS Roma.

The former Brazil star, who played for both clubs during his career, spoke on Radio MARCA , where he called for greater understanding towards his compatriot, who is going through a difficult phase in his career .

Baptista insisted fans need to show greater support to a player who, in his view, has repeatedly demonstrated his commitment to Real Madrid.

“I think Vinicius has given a great deal to Madrid. He has earned the affection of the fans through his own merits and, if he is not doing well at a particular moment, both his teammates and the supporters should rally around him,” he said.

“They should help him return to his best level so that he can help Real Madrid achieve what the club and its fans want most, which is to keep winning trophies.”

The Brazilian was even more emphatic when discussing the winger’s importance to the club’s future.

“It is easier to keep winning trophies with Vinicius than without him,” he said.

Going through a tough phase. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

From a tactical formation and squad depth perspective, "Former Real Madrid star Julio Baptista defends Vinicius: ‘Teammates and supporters should rally around him’" carries substantial tournament implications for international seeding and domestic campaign momentum. Coaching staffs are heavily weighing high-pressing efficiency (PPDA), defensive transition pace, and fixture fatigue management.

Tactical analysts monitoring Champions League metrics emphasize that squad adaptability and set-piece execution will likely dictate outcomes in high-leverage knockout environments. Real-time match telemetry and tracking data continue to inform managerial decision-making.

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