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Real Madrid News Former Real Madrid striker calls Vinicius a “lost cause” in brutal assessment of his attitude Real Madrid may have started their La Liga campaign with three points against Espanyol, but Fernando Morientes believes there are still important questions for Jose Mourinho to answer. Speaking on El Partidazo de COPE, the former Real Madrid striker looked beyond the result and assessed the team’s early-season structure. While he was largely satisfied with the attacking options available to Mourinho, Morientes identified midfield as an area that could become a concern as the campaign progresses. But the strongest part of his analysis came when the conversation turned to Vinicius Junior. Morientes worries about Real Madrid’s midfield For Morientes, it is too early to make final judgments about Mourinho’s Real Madrid. The team has already had to cope without important players in the midfield, meaning the manager has not yet had his preferred options available. However, Morientes believes the picture is clearer in attack. Arda Guler’s role on the right has helped give Real Madrid a more settled attacking structure, and the former striker believes Mourinho has enough quality to feel comfortable about his forward line. “As for the front four, I think it’s all sorted, barring any unexpected injuries.” The midfield is a different story. Morientes believes Real Madrid have lacked a genuine playmaker for the last two seasons, and he feels the team still need to manage their midfield resources carefully over a demanding campaign. Discussing Bernardo Silva, he explained where he sees the Portuguese midfielder making the biggest impact: “I prefer Bernardo Silva to play a bit further forward, a bit like Modric, who used to push forward and get in behind the defence. “He’s a very intelligent player, not so much for scoring goals, but for delivering that final pass.” More to the story Morientes’ concern is not limited to the quality of Real Madrid’s midfield, as he is also looking at the demands of the season. With a packed fixture schedule ahead, Mourinho will need to rotate his players effectively, particularly experienced figures. Morientes hopes the squad do not become short of options in the position where he believes Real Madrid have lacked a specialist profile for some time. “I hope the team doesn’t end up short-handed in that position, because for the last two years the team has lacked a playmaker.” Morientes’ verdict on Vinicius The discussion became more direct when Vinicius’ attitude was brought into focus. Morientes first acknowledged that footballers mature at different speeds and that development is not always straightforward. “Players go through a process of maturing, just like children; there comes a time when some mature earlier, whilst others mature later.” But he then sided with Santiago Cañizares, who had previously criticised Vinicius over his behaviour during matches. “As things stand, I’m jumping on the Cañete bandwagon and see him as a lost cause, and I think that’s what drives him,” he concluded. Real Madrid News 19-year-old Argentine starlet reflects on difficult Real Madrid spell: ‘It wasn’t easy’ When Real Madrid signed Franco Mastantuono from River Plate last summer, he was widely regarded as one of, if not the biggest, South American talents coming through. Los Blancos fast-tracked him straight into the first team under Xabi Alonso, but the teenager struggled to adapt to life in Madrid. Mastantuono left on loan to Fiorentina in the summer in a bid to get regular game time away from the Santiago Bernabeu. The Argentine winger experienced a turbulent campaign at Madrid, working under three different coaches: Xabi Alonso, Alvaro Arbeloa and, very briefly, Jose Mourinho. A difficult season Speaking to DSports, Mastantuono admitted his year in Madrid had been challenging but believes the experience ultimately helped his development. “We all had a difficult season in Madrid. It wasn’t easy,” Mastantuono said. “These things always help you improve and learn. Fiorentina isn’t about revenge, but an opportunity to show the player I am and help Fiorentina become great again,” he explained. Rather than viewing this move to Italy as an opportunity to move away from Madrid, he seems keen on using the experience he gained there to succeed in Italy. Mastantuono embraces the pressure The Argentine also discussed the demands of representing Real Madrid, something he had already experienced in a different form while playing for River Plate. “I had the privilege of playing for River and Real Madrid, incredible teams,” he said. “There is pressure, but it is part of the sport. I like it. For me, it is a game as well as a job, of course,” Mastantuono revealed. That attitude perhaps explains why Mastantuono has gone searching for game time this season rather than staying at Madrid. No bad blood over Real Madrid exit Importantly, Mastantuono dismissed any suggestion that his departure from Real Madrid came following a breakdown in his relationship with the club. Earlier in the summer, it had emerged that the Argentinian wanted to return to River Plate, which Los Blancos did not agree to. However, even if that situation actually transpired, it looks like it was sorted out amicably. “When I spoke with Real Madrid, it was a cordial and friendly conversation,” he explained. “I decided to leave the club. I had many options, and I thank everyone who showed interest,” he concluded. Mastantuono’s departure puts a pause on a short and complicated chapter for a player who arrived with a lot of expectations. The good thing for him is that he is only on loan at Fiorentina and could return to Madrid, where the book is still open. The first chapter may have been difficult, but there is no necessity for the trend to continue through the rest of the chapters. Mastantuono’s priority now is to have a good season at Fiorentina, and it remains to be seen whether he has a future in the Spanish capital in the coming seasons.