Vinicius Junior: Injury progress & potential return date for Real Madrid forward

Real Madrid have enjoyed a largely positive start to the 2023/24 season, even if they are not actually on top of La Liga. Girona may be performing better than them but Carlo Ancelotti will be expecting them to fall away and for his team to get more consistent.

Getting more consistent may be a bit tough after the international break, though, because they are set for another spell without Brazilian forward Vinicius Jr. He picked up another injury whilst playing for Brazil early in the break and it seems like a serious one.

Goals from players that aren't Jude Bellingham have been a bit of a problem for Real Madrid this season and losing a player like Vinicius to another injury is certainly not going to help that.

When will Vinicius Junior return from injury?

There is no official declaration from Brazil or Real Madrid as to just how serious the injury for Vinicius Jr actually is at the moment. He started the match against Colombia on Thursday and was quickly into the thick of the action, setting up Gabriel Martinelli's opener after four minutes.

He wouldn't feature for much longer as he slumped to the ground after half an hour and later limped off of the field. It is only less than two months since he returned from a thigh injury and Vinicius explained after the game that the issues are likely linked.

"I think it's the same injury as the last time," he said after the game. "I took a hit there and it hurt a little after. [On Friday] we will do tests to see how I go."

The best indication as to when he will be back, and this may be good for Real Madrid fans, is that he still suggested they will be trying everything to get him back on the pitch for the next game against Argentina.

"I think it's difficult [playing against Argentina] from what the doctors said," he conceded. "We're going to try everything."

It may be very unlikely that he plays that game, but the fact he has not been immediately ruled out suggests it may not be a huge spell on the sidelines. Only proper scans will be able to reveal that information which will be at a later date.

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Vinicius Junior's injury record

Before this season, Vinicius had rarely been injured during his Real Madrid career, only suffering one serious issue - a ruptured knee ligament that kept him out for two months in 2019.

In the past three seasons at the Bernabeu, Vinicius featured in all but 11 La Liga matches. Most of these absences were not as a result of injury, with the Brazilian simply being rested during busy schedules.

He missed four games earlier this season with the thigh issue and he could well be set to miss some more, unless the injury is not as bad as first feared.