“Best player in the world or very close to be” - Carlo Ancelotti offers glowing verdict about Real Madrid star

Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has lavished praise on Vinicius Junior amid the Brazilian's sensational season.

Vinicius, 22, has bagged 23 goals and 21 assists in 51 games across competitions. Throughout the campaign, he has wreaked havoc on the left flank for Los Merengues. The young winger scored a wonder strike in Madrid's 1-1 Champions League first-leg semifinal draw with Manchester City on Tuesday (May 9).

Ahead of Real Madrid's La Liga clash with Getafe on Saturday (May 13), Anceotti said about the Brazilian forward (via MadridXtra):

"Vinicius? Best player in the world or very close to be."

Vinicius joined Los Blancos from Flamengo in 2018 but didn't make an immediate impact as he settled into life in La Liga. However, he has become one of the first names on Ancelotti's teamsheet with inspired performances.

The forward looks set to start against Getafe on Saturday, with Ancelotti confirming so in his pre-match press conference:

"Vinicius will play tomorrow. I talked to him. He feels very good."

There were reports suggesting that Vinicius would sit out the clash with the Azulones ahead of the second-leg encounter with City on Wednesday (May 17). However, the Brazilian seemingly needs no rest, as he looks to continue his incredible campaign.

Defenders have struggled to deal with Vinicius throughout the season. Los Merengues icon Fabio Cannavaro has said that all you can do is pray when defending against the Brazilian (via Diario AS):

"How to stop Vinicius? Pray."

Vinicius' pace and agility have delighted fans at the Bernabeu this season, but defenders hate coming up against the in-form forward.

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Aston Villa keen on Real Madrid's out-of-contract Marco Asensio

Villa are targeting Madrid's Asensio.

Marco Asensio has just a month left in his contract with Real Madrid, and uncertainty has grown over the Spaniard's future. He has been at the Santiago Bernabeu since 2015 but could depart in the summer.

According to the Athletic, Aston Villa are interested in signing Asensio as a free agent. The Villains are chasing Europe under Unai Emery who joined the club from Villarreal last October. They're eighth in the league, a point behind seventh-placed Brighton & Hove Albion.

Asensio would bring an abundance of experience to Villa Park. He has made 281 appearances for Real Madrid, scoring 60 goals and providing 32 assists. However, he has been afforded less game time this season amid Vinicius and Rodrygo's impressive form. The Spanish attacker has started 16 of 46 games, scoring 11 goals and contributing eight assists.