Real Madrid attacker Vinicius Junior entered an exclusive list by making his 50th UEFA Champions League appearance on Tuesday (February 13).
In the Round of 16 first-leg tie at RB Leipzig, the 23-year-old Brazilian became the fifth youngest player to make 50 appearances in the Champions League. The list is headed by legendary Los Blancos attacker Iker Casillas, who achieved the feat at the age of 22 years and 155 days in 2003.
Vinicius enters the list in fifth place, with only Casillas, Cesc Fabregas, Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi ahead of him. Casillas, Fabregas and Mbappe achieved the feat before turning 23.
In 49 previous appearances, the Brazlian has 17 goals and 22 assists – including two goals and three assists in three games this term. In four previous seasons of the competitions, Vinicius has emerged triumphant once (2021-22).
Carlo Ancelotti’s side – who went perfect in the group stage – are goalless at half-time at Leipzig. The La Liga leaders are in a rich vein of form, going unbeaten in five games across competitions – winning four – since a 4-2 extra time defeat at Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey Round of 16 last month.
How Real Madrid fared in the UEFA Champions League this season
Real Madrid are record 14-time winners (eight times in the Champions League era) of the competition.
As mentioned previously, they produced a perfect league-stage campaign. After opening with a 1-0 home win over Union Berlin, Ancelotti’s side won 3-2 at Napoli. In their next game, they won 2-1 at Braga before blanking the Portuguese side 3-0 on matchday four at home.
Madrid then trounced Napoli 4-2 at home before recovering from a goal down to win 3-2 at Union Berlin on the final day. It marked their third ‘perfect’ group stage campaign.
However, on both occasions they achieved the feat (2011-12 and 2014-15), they failed to go all the way. Madrid lost on penalties in the semifinals to Bayern Munich in 2011-12, while they lost to Juventus in the last-four three years later.
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