Vinicius Jr matches Cristiano Ronaldo record

Real Madrid were on top form in the Champions League on Wednesday night as Manchester City found themselves under real pressure in Spain.

Los Blancos took firm control of the contest early on, with Federico Valverde proving decisive in front of goal during a huge first-half display.

For City, it was the sort of night where the game kept slipping further away from them.

For Madrid, it quickly turned into another European occasion where their biggest players began to shape the story.

That is exactly what happened as the first half unfolded.

Vinicius Jr was credited with the assist for Valverde’s second goal of the night, despite the ball taking a deflection on its way through.

That contribution saw the Brazilian draw level with Cristiano Ronaldo for the most assists by a Real Madrid player in Champions League history.

Vinicius now has 31 assists in the competition for Los Blancos, matching a record previously held outright by the former Manchester United star.

That is a huge marker of his importance.

Ronaldo remains one of the defining figures in Real Madrid’s modern history, so for Vinicius to now match one of his Champions League records says plenty about the level he has reached.

Still only 25, the Brazil international has become one of the club’s most decisive players in Europe.

While he did not take the main goalscoring spotlight against City, he still found a way to leave his mark on the game.

The background details only reinforce that standing.

Vinicius primarily operates off the left wing, can also play through the middle and remains one of the most valuable players in world football, with his market value listed at around £130 million.

He joined Real Madrid from Flamengo in July 2018, with the Spanish side paying a reported fee of around £39 million after initially agreeing the deal while he was still developing in Brazil.

Since then, he has built an impressive body of work in Madrid colours, and this latest Champions League milestone adds another major line to it.

For Manchester City, though, the bigger concern was the match itself.

Valverde’s goals had Madrid in full control, and Vinicius once again proved capable of hurting elite opposition even without dominating the headlines in front of goal.

Now, attention will turn to whether Vinicius can move clear of Ronaldo in the next European outing, while City are left needing a major response to turn the tie back in their favour.