I believe I’m quicker than him: Kyle Walker on Vinicius Jr. after Manchester City’s 4-0 routing of Real Madrid

Walker would star against Real Madrid's sole scorer in last year's Champions League final on a night Manchester City qualified for only their second Champions League final.

Kyle Walker and Vinicius Jr in action during the 2022/23 Champions League semifinal second leg at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester. (UCL/Twitter)

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Manchester City facing Real Madrid in a 90 minute plus stoppage time may have been a football contest to determine the second finalist for the 2023 Champions League summit clash. But Vinicius Jr. facing off Kyle Walker was an all out sprint contest. It was bound to be.

Two of the quickest wide players to decide the fate of the game. And there was little doubt as to who the winner was on Wednesday night, with the English international holding off the Brazilian at the left wing.

“I believe in my pace, I believe that I’m quicker than him and that I can use my physical dominance. Nullify him and have they got a Plan B?” Walker would tell BT Sport after his side’s 4-0 win at the Etihad Stadium.

THE RECOVERY RUN FROM KYLE WALKER AGAINST VINICIUS 😳

Incredible pace and defending 👏 pic.twitter.com/RBuEVMRJrl

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) May 17, 2023

In the first half, with Madrid having exchanged less than 50 passes, Walker would stop Vinicius in his tracks as he ran wild into the box from the left.

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“I have to study the opponents, I have to do my homework. The analysts provide me with great clips and I have them on my phone. Every time I get a minute, I’m watching the clips and see little movements that he (Vinicius Jr) does,” he’d reveal to TNT Sports Brazil.

The right-back further added, “He tried the little ‘overs’ where he lets it through his legs in the first half; if I hadn’t seen that by doing my homework maybe he would have caught me out on that. That’s what he did against Fernandinho last year and it ended up in a goal.”

While the first leg last week had ended in an even 1-1 draw, City would outsmart the defending champions in the second leg to qualify for only their second Champions League final, setting a clash with three-time winners Inter Milan.