Vinicius Jr 'Was Going to Play' More, Says Ex-Real Madrid Coach Julen Lopetegui

Former Real Madrid manager Julen Lopetegui has said he planned to give Vinicius Junior more first-team minutes as the season progressed.

The 52-year-old was fired from the club's helm in October after a poor start to the 2018-19 campaign. 

Santiago Solari succeeded the tactician and is enjoying success after inducting the 18-year-old into his senior side.

Lopetegui appeared on El Partidazo (h/t Marca) and explained he intended to develop the youngster over a longer period:

"I'm very grateful to Madrid for giving me the chance to coach an extraordinary team and I have a real affection for those who were my players so I wish them well.

"Vinicius was in a period of adaptation and the time factor was very important.

"He was going to play because seasons last 10 months and not a month-and-a-half and it is evident that he is a player who was in our plans.

"In the future, he would have played with us, and there is no doubt he has a great future ahead of him."

Vinicius' profile at the Santiago Bernabeu has quickly risen since he completed his transfer to Madrid from Brazilian club Flamengo in July 2018. The teenager is far from the finished article, but there's clear potential and entertainment in his style of play.

Lopetegui handed Vinicius only 12 minutes of first-team action and kept the winger largely in the Castilla side, with whom he scored four goals and recorded one assist in his five Segunda Division appearances.

His soaring reputation has also intensified rumours the Spanish club could be prepared to sell Gareth Bale and invest their future in Vinicius, per Agence France-Presse's Kieran Canning:

The Brazil under-20 international scored his first La Liga goal in a 3-0 victory over Alaves at the beginning of January. He's also contributed seven assists in seven Copa del Rey outings to go along with his two goals in the competition.

The CIES Football Observatory recently ranked Vinicius as the fourth-most experienced player from Europe's top five leagues born in 2000, based on their minutes and the standard of their club.

Sportswriter Simon Harrison recently commented on the other benefits that work in Vinicius' favour in adapting to life in Madrid:

The Spanish Football Podcast remarked upon the relationship building between Real's fanbase and their latest wonderkid:

Solari has reaped some benefits of what Lopetegui sowed with Vinicius, but it's unlikely even the emerging star could have saved the latter after he won just one of his last seven games in charge.

Vinicius has earned 1,321 minutes since Solari took over at the helm, and he doesn't look liable to lose his spot in Real's rotation anytime soon.