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What's the story?
Real Madrid youngster Vinicius Junior claims he feels no pressure to replace the club's all-time top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo.
In case you didn't know...
Ronaldo concluded his nine-year association with Los Blancos last summer and made a shock switch to Serie A giants Juventus.
Since his departure, the Spanish titans have struggled to maintain their lethal form and have brought in manager after manager to minimise the negative effects of the transition. The club appointed former Spain coach Julen Lopetegui and Argentine Santiago Solari, only to sack them after a few months and re-appoint Zinedine Zidane.
Zidane arrived at the Santiago Bernabeu when the team was already out of most competitions, leaving nothing for the Frenchman to do except focus on damage control. The former European champions crashed out of the Champions League and the Copa del Rey and had no chance in LaLiga, eventually finishing 19 points behind rivals Barcelona.
Vinicius, who arrived at Real Madrid in the same summer that Ronaldo left, netted four goals in 31 appearances for the club last season and has been tipped to become one of the best in the game.
The heart of the matter
Speaking to AS about following Ronaldo's footsteps, Vinicius said, "Cristiano is Cristiano, he's a club legend. He did what no one has ever done. But I've never felt as though I am replacing him. I want to play and help Madrid."
The 18-year-old added, "In my case, I think it was the right time. I was playing well for Flamengo but I also had the margin to improve."
"I evolved more in three months in Madrid there than I would have in a year back home. It was good for me to start and then play in the best club in the world."
What's next?
Vinicius will likely return to action when Real Madrid face Bayern Munich in the International Champions Cup on July 21. The Brazilian will now have to compete with Eden Hazard for a starting spot, and the youngster could see his playing time reduced.
