Vinicius Junior faces Liverpool again this Tuesday at Anfield, and there’s no denying it: few recent Champions League images are as striking as the Brazilian deciding games against the English side. Liverpool fans know it. When he’s on the field, danger is real. Five matches, five goals, a Champions League final winner, and a historic rout in England. His impact against Liverpool doesn’t rely on memory, it relies on replay. Whether it was in Paris lifting the trophy, at the Alfredo Di Stéfano during the quiet pandemic days, or in the roaring heart of Anfield, Vinicius has made it clear this matchup means something special.
The first spark: when the promise became a protagonist
It all started in 2020/21, and the setting wasn’t glamorous. The Bernabéu was closed, the Champions League was played at the Di Stéfano, and the stands were empty. Even so, Vini stole the show. Two goals in the 3–1 win in the first leg of the quarterfinals. That’s when he shed the label of “still developing” and joined the group of players who decide games. It was the kind of performance that changes narratives. And it did.
In the following season, 2021/22, came the defining moment: the Champions League final, Real Madrid versus Liverpool, a tense, tight match. One clear chance is gold in a game like that. Vini took his, finishing Valverde’s cross with the composure of a veteran. Minimal score, maximum weight. Title secured. His first Champions League trophy, with the ball hitting the net against the very club that was already starting to feel the unease of having his name etched in memory.
The night that left a scar at Anfield
And just when it seemed he’d done it all, he came back. Quarterfinals of 2022/23, at Anfield. There was no revenge mood. There was dominance. Real Madrid 5–2. Vinicius scored twice and paved the way for a result that still haunts English fans. It was a night where he showed confidence, awareness, and a constant presence in the spaces that hurt any defense: tight gaps, loose balls, goals. Salah and Darwin Núñez tried to bring Liverpool back, but the game already had an owner.
For all those reasons, heading into this new encounter, the relationship can be summed up in one clear line: when it’s Liverpool versus Vinicius Junior in the Champions League, the Brazilian steps on the field with a psychological edge. He’s earned it. It’s not a narrative, it’s a stat with context.