According to a report by Madrid Universal on Wednesday November 11, 2026, former Spain international Marcos Senna has backed Vinicius Junior to rediscover his best form at Real Madrid, insisting that the Brazilian winger needs patience and continued hard work to overcome his current difficulties.

Vinicius has endured a challenging period at the Santiago Bernabeu, with his performances attracting criticism and questions about his importance to Jose Mourinho's team.

The Brazilian, who has established himself as one of the most dangerous attacking players in European football over the years, is now facing increased competition for a regular starting position following the emergence of Yan Diomande.

However, Senna believes it would be premature to write off the Real Madrid forward, insisting that he has previously demonstrated his ability to overcome difficult periods in his career.

Speaking in an interview with Diario AS, the former Villarreal midfielder offered some advice to Vinicius, urging him to remain focused and continue working hard.

'I would tell him that he has to keep working. That he must be patient,' Senna said.

The former Spain international also expressed confidence that the Brazilian would eventually return to his best level, pointing out that he has recovered from similar situations in the past.

'Vinicius has already shown other times that, when it was thought that he would be down, then he had a high again. And I think Vinicius is going to return to his best version. It's just about having a little patience. There is a lot of season left,' he added.

Senna's comments come at a time when Vinicius is facing a fresh challenge at Real Madrid following the emergence of Diomande.

The youngster has reportedly impressed with his performances and adapted quickly to the demands of playing for one of the biggest clubs in world football.

His emergence has created additional competition in the attacking department, potentially making it more difficult for Vinicius to secure his place in Mourinho's preferred starting lineup.

Senna believes the competition could ultimately benefit both the Brazilian and Real Madrid.

'Now there is an important competition with Diomande and that is good for Vinicius. It's good for Real Madrid,' he explained.

The former Villarreal star also admitted that he had been surprised by how quickly Diomande had adapted to life at the Spanish giants.

'Yes, I'm a little surprised, truthfully. Because he is a player who was not really well-known. And now you see him a player with impudence with quality to overflow,' Senna said.

He further praised the youngster for handling the pressure and expectations associated with representing Real Madrid.

According to Senna, the demands at the Santiago Bernabeu are significantly higher than at most other clubs, making Diomande's quick adaptation particularly impressive.

'We know that Madrid has high demands compared to the other clubs and it seems that it is not weighing on him at the start of this first season. He is doing very well,' he added.

Meanwhile, Senna also discussed Real Madrid's overall improvement under Mourinho after their difficult start to the campaign.

The Spanish giants initially struggled to dominate matches consistently, raising concerns about their performances and ability to compete for major trophies.

However, Madrid have gradually regained their confidence and produced more convincing performances, with their victory over Barcelona at Camp Nou representing a particularly important moment in their season.