Vinicius Junior Cleared to Play for Brazil After Injury Scare

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior is set to feature for Brazil in their upcoming friendly, despite an injury concern earlier in the week. His club will undoubtedly be eager for his full fitness ahead of the crucial April and May fixtures.

Vinicius played in the Selecao's 2-1 defeat to France but was absent from Friday's training due to muscle discomfort. Initially deemed a major doubt for the match against Croatia, he is now expected to be fit for the 2022 World Cup quarter-final rematch. The game is scheduled for Wednesday at 02:00 AM CEST in Orlando, Florida.

Vinicius Set to Face Croatia

The 24-year-old forward is now expected to play against Croatia, a fixture coach Carlo Ancelotti might see as preparation for the upcoming World Cup. Reports confirm Vinicius returned to training on Sunday, indicating his injury was merely mild discomfort. It would be unexpected if he were to miss the game against Luka Modric's side.

Vinicius Nearing Peak Form

Following a period of fluctuating performance, Vinicius has regained impressive form under Alvaro Arbeloa, who recently stated the player is 'not far off his best form of his career.' His brace in the Madrid derby secured a 3-2 victory for Los Blancos, keeping them four points adrift of Barcelona in the title race. Vinicius's excellent play and strong relationship with Arbeloa appear to have accelerated contract extension talks between the player and the club.

Since Arbeloa took charge, Vinicius has arguably been one of Real Madrid's standout performers, alongside Thibaut Courtois. It seems that any significant success for Los Blancos, both in Europe and domestically, will heavily rely on Vinicius maintaining this exceptional form. An injury at this critical juncture would be a severe setback for their ambitions.