Vinicius Junior has issued a public apology to Real Madrid for his reaction after being substituted in the 2-1 win over Barcelona at the weekend. The Los Blancos star was hooked with fifteen minutes to go in El Clasico, prompting a furious reaction from the Brazilian, who appeared to ignore Xabi Alonso before heading straight down the tunnel. The 25-year-old has now shared his apologies for the moment, but gave no mention to his boss.
Getty ImagesVini Jr's public apology
The Madrid winger stole the headlines during the huge win over title rivals Barca for his reaction to being hooked with time to spare at the Santiago Bernabeu. Vinicius headed straight down the tunnel before returning to the bench before full-time, but not before he could exchange some heated words with Alonso, who was stone-faced during the moment.
Now, in a statement released on social media, Vinicius has cleared up the situation and apologised. He said on : "Today I want to apologize to all the Madridistas for my reaction when I was substituted in the Clasico. 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."
AdvertisementAlonso omitted from statement
Notably, there is one man Vinicius seemingly forgot to mention in his apology statement, head coach Alonso. The Spaniard took the brunt of his players' fury on Sunday evening, all with a game still going on in front of him. By omitting him, the Brazil star is only going to ramp up speculation that their relationship is fractured, and that one, or both, could leave the club.
Fans were quick to latch on to the absence of Alonso in the apology. On X, @cruelkroos said: "And the apologies to the coach, where are they? Because he's the first one you owe them to."
@maarcoloopez93 opted to back the player over the manager, adding: "Never apologize for having an inept coach It's not your fault."
@MrGafan was on the same line, posting: "Much honor Vini. The change was terrorism and your reaction was perhaps disproportionate but apologies can only be made by those who truly feel things. No one doubts your madridismo. Keep it up."
But the eagle-eyed @Petrelli86 was nother to notice the absence of Alonso's name, he towed the line of getting behind both. He said: "We love you, Vini. You're going to win the Ballon d'Or with Xabi, whom you haven't mentioned, by the way."
Finally, @ahosani65 said: "What about the coach? Doesn’t he deserve an apology as well ??!!"
Road to redemption?
Vinicius' apology was the second in as many days after the 25-year-old attempted to explain the mass brawl that broke out between players during the derby. That time, he was apologising on behalf of Real Madrid as a whole for any young fans witnessing the ugly scenes. But in this post, the Los Blancos hero was holding his own hands up. It is a sign of his strong character to apologise despite the constant scrutiny on him both during games and away from the pitch. However, it still does not clear up the rumours of a strained relationship with Alonso, who currently has his side sitting top of La Liga.
Getty ImagesMoving forwards in the capital
Vinicius and Alonso will have to settle their differences if they are to compete for both domestic and European honours this season. They sit five points ahead of Barcelona after Sunday's win, and also find themselves in a strong position to compete for the Champions League. Next up is a clash at home to Valencia on Saturday, where fans will get the latest glimpse into the relationship between player and head coach.