Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior is ahead of schedule in his recovery from a hamstring injury and is targeting a return to action against Atalanta or Rayo Vallecano.
The 24-year-old had initially been expected to be sidelined until the final of the Intercontinental Cup — FIFA’s new annual mid-season competition, replacing the previous iteration of the Club World Cup — on December 18.
However, he is now aiming to be fit for either Madrid’s Champions League fixture against Atalanta on December 10 or their La Liga match against Rayo Vallecano on December 14.
Vinicius Jr underwent scans after reporting tiredness following the victory over Leganes on November 24, which revealed an injury to his left thigh, and he was expected to be out for three weeks. He has missed Madrid’s last three matches in all competitions and is set to sit out Saturday’s La Liga fixture against Girona.
The Brazil forward previously struggled with hamstring injuries during the 2023-24 season, missing over two months of action due to two separate issues. He was sidelined in September 2023 with a right thigh problem, before tearing a muscle in his left thigh while on international duty in November.
Vinicius Jr has provided 12 goals and eight assists in 18 appearances in all competitions this season.
Madrid’s 2024-25 campaign has been disrupted by injury. Both Vinicius Jr and Carlo Ancelotti have voiced their concerns over the fixture schedule’s role in the squad’s injury problems.
The Athletic reported this month the club have hired nutritionist Itziar Gonzalez de Arriba in a bid to address the extensive injury problems they have encountered this season.
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