According to a report by Madrid Universal on Monday November 9, 2026, with Vinicius Junior back in the mix after serving a domestic suspension, Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho will have a tough choice to make when the international break ends.

After the team's stellar play without the Brazilian, the Portuguese manager faces a problem with the player's availability.

Every game since the last international break has been a Real Madrid triumph. The upcoming fixtures will be a major boost for Los Blancos, who have won eight games in a row across all competitions.

The pressure is on Mourinho to find a way to include Vinicius without upsetting the equilibrium his team has achieved, if reports are to be believed. After serving his four-game domestic suspension, the forward is once again eligible to play.

In his absence, Madrid's attacking department has done an outstanding job. A lot of the credit for the team's recent success goes to Arda Guler, Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappe, and Yan Diomande.

There have been rumors that Vinicius has acknowledged the danger to his starting spot. Leaving him out was a tough call for Mourinho because of his club value, reputation, and quality.

Ex-Real Madrid goalkeeper Santiago Canizares has offered a potential solution. He has voiced his opinion that the Portuguese coach should think about starting Vinicius in central striker position instead of Mbappe.

With this change, Madrid may have more offensive balance, according to Canizares. Vinicius can cause problems for defenders when he operates in the center of the field, while Mbappe often goes to the left flank.

The proposal may not be ideal, but it does provide Mourinho with a potential new avenue to explore in terms of strategy. With Raphinha playing in the center of the attack, Barcelona have also been successful without a typical center forward.

As a number nine, Vinicius has been on the field before. He has played the position 82 times for his career, scoring 42 goals and assisting on 18 more.

As Mourinho gets ready to make a big decision, those numbers show that the Brazilian could be a good alternative.