Vinicius Attempts Insane Skill in UCL Semifinal As He Sends Clear Message to Haaland, Mbappe

• Vinicius Junior put on another impeccable show in the Champions League with a fine display against Manchester City
• He has been compared to his Brazil international teammate Neymar with many asking if he is better
• There have also been talk that he deserves to be on the same pedestal as Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland

On a night the world wanted to see what more Erling Haaland could conjure, it was Vinicius Junior who rose highest and exceeded expectations.

Vinicius has been offering constant reminders to anyone wanting to see and listen that he is the next big thing. Or maybe among them.

But the fact that he plays with Karim Benzema at club level and Neymar in the Selecao set-up has meant that, most times, his performances have gone under the radar.

Taking the ball from a powerful Eduardo Camavinga run on May 9, the Brazilian was widely expected to find one of his two striking partners, only for him to size up Ederson in the Manchester City goal and send a thunderbolt of a strike that wheezed past his international teammate.

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That, ladies and gentlemen, was a mark of a fearless young forward at the height of his powers. Heck, he even attempted an audacious flick, only that Kyle Walker was alert at all times.

Vinicius vs Neymar

His magnificent goal sparked a debate about whether he is what many people thought Neymar was.

Neymar's mistake, like many players in his age group, was to play in the same era as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Bar his constant injury concerns, Neymar was arguably the best player after the big two. From his skillset to vision to aura and flair, he was the complete package.

As stats show, to compare Vinicius to Neymar and even allude he is better than his senior compatriot will be a little bit of a stretch. But again, he is only 22 years.

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And as Lewis Hamilton keeps reminding us, keep dreaming of the impossible.

Comparing Vinicius to Mbappe and Haaland

He might not be ready to lace Neymar's boots yet, but it is time the 22-year-old was involved in this Kylian Mbappe vs Haaland debate that is shaping up nicely.

Well, for starters, he showed Haaland levels on his own home turf, forget the hearty smile and hug he shared with the Norwegian at the end of the game. The onus will be on Haaland to respond next week.

Mbappe might be a tad higher than both of them; given that he scores, he assists and dazzles neutrals with filthy skills.

For Haaland, we all know what he does. He has an affinity for hitting the back of the net the same way yours truly loves milk and toasted bread. 50 plus goals in your debut season in England is borderline nuts.

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Vinicius' stronghold, like Mbappe, is his pace and mazy feet. This is a player who has come of age after Benzema accused him of playing against them. He has since improved on his finishing and passing accuracy.

His only downside compared to the current top two is that he doesn't score as often as them, but his current goal and assist ratio in the Champions League is insane. He has contributed to a goal in his last 11 starts.

We can sing Haaland and Mbappe's praises all day long, but Vinicius is here and at only 22 years, he is nowhere near his prime. He can only get better. He is forcing us to take note.

So kindly, let's take note.

Vinicius equals Ronaldo's record

Sports Brief reported that Vinicius etched his name in the annals of the Champions League following his splendid goal against Manchester City at the Bernabeu.

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The Brazilian, who recently won his third Player of the Month award for Madrid, unleashed a bullet of a goal to break the deadlock in the semi-final tie between two of Europe's finest teams this season.

Vini's goal against Man City in their first-leg semi-final clash means he levels Ronaldo's record of either scoring or assisting in 11 consecutive games.