Vinicius Jr says sorry for petulance and vows to ‘keep fighting’ for Real Madrid – but makes no mention of Xabi Alonso in apology
The Brazil winger has received criticism for his reaction on Sunday
Real Madrid winger Vinicius Jr has apologised for his petulant reaction to being substituted in Sunday’s Clasico win over Barcelona.
The Brazil winger was taken off after 72 minutes at the Santiago Bernabeu but made his displeasure obvious, mouthing “I’m leaving this team” before going straight down the tunnel.
His actions, which boss Xabi Alonso said would be addressed internally, have brought plenty of criticism and threatened to overshadow an excellent Madrid performance, which saw them beat their arch-rivals more comfortably than the 2-1 scoreline suggested.
But, today, the 25-year-old expressed his remorse and admitted he had also said sorry to his team-mates, although no mention was made of Alonso in his statement.
He said: “Today I want to apologise to all the Madridistas for my reaction when I was substituted in the Clásico. Just as I have already done in person during today’s training, I also want to apologize again to my teammates, the club, and the president.
“Sometimes passion gets the better of me because I always want to win and help my team. My competitive character stems from the love I feel for this club and everything it represents. I promise to keep fighting every second for the good of Real Madrid, as I have done since the first day.”
Vinicius Jr involved in Yamal fracas
When Vinicius Jr did return to the bench from the dressing room, he was then involved in the post-match fracas that saw several Madrid players target Lamine Yamal, who had made inflammatory pre-match remarks about the capital club.
The former Flamengo star has struggled to replicate his best form over the past 12 months – ever since he lost out to Manchester City midfielder Rodri in the voting for the 2024 Ballon d’Or.
This latest incident is another disappointing chapter in his Madrid career, which appears to be stalling currently, but the South American did receive words of support from former team-mate Toni Kroos.
Kroos, who retired last year after a glittering career at the Bernabeu, said: “When you play an exceptional game, especially in a match like this, at the very least you are not happy [at being substituted]. I never liked being replaced either, although to be fair, I’ve never gone to the locker room right after being taken off.
“It’s easy to judge from the outside. I like to keep in mind that in reality those who are down there in a Clasico, in front of 80,000 spectators and with the score 2-1, want everything but to go off. No-one can judge and imagine that emotion.”