Thierry Henry criticizes Real Madrid star after defeat to Liverpool

After Real Madrid’s 0-1 defeat to Liverpool, the legendary Thierry Henry openly blamed Vinicius Junior for his dull and passive display at Anfield.

Real Madrid suffered their first Champions League loss this season, falling 0-1 to Liverpool at Anfield. Alexis Mac Allister’s lone goal in the 61st minute secured all three points for Arne Slot’s team, while the “Los Blancos” attack was completely silent, especially stars Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe.

This defeat raised many questions among experts about Real Madrid’s offensive form, with Thierry Henry being the most outspoken. In comments made to CBS Sports, the former Arsenal and Barcelona star bluntly criticized Vinicius for “lacking attacking courage.”

Henry expressed his frustration: “I just don’t get it. He had a one-on-one advantage against Conor Bradley in the opening minutes but chose to pass backwards instead of attacking. If there’s space, you have to exploit it. When you keep pressing, the opponent is forced to drop back 30 meters. That’s how you create pressure.”

The French legend believes Vinicius has lost the instincts of a world-class winger: “He had a chance early on but let Bradley ‘breathe.’ Vinicius should have made life difficult for that defender, forced him into fouling and getting a card. But none of that happened. Instead of taking advantage of the one-on-one, Vinicius pulled back and turned it into a one versus three. I really don’t understand.”

Agreeing with Henry, former Real Madrid player Gareth Bale also expressed disappointment watching his old team’s attack lack creativity. Bale shared: “We expected Vinicius and Mbappe to explode in the final third, but that didn’t happen. They have great pace but seem hesitant to challenge the defenders. Maybe it’s because there’s no true striker waiting in the box. Real are missing a proper forward.”

With this loss, Real Madrid not only ended their winning streak but also face increased pressure to regain the sharpness in attack that is their hallmark in Europe.

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