Vinícius Jr., Kylian Mbappé, and Jude Bellingham led Real Madrid to a 2-1 victory over FC Barcelona in El Clásico, ending Barça’s four-match winning streak.
Yet all eyes were focused on Vinícius Jr’s frustrated reaction after being substituted. His angry walk down the tunnel, muttering profanities while ignoring his manager, became a highlight of the night. Despite returning to form under Xabi Alonso, was the Brazilian justified in his frustration?
Vinícius Jr: “I’m Leaving”
With the score at 2-1 and 18 minutes remaining, Xabi Alonso replaced Vinícius Jr. with Rodrygo Goes, seeking fresh legs and defensive balance against Barcelona’s late surge. Vinícius, who had been electric on the wing, reacted with immediate dismay. Cameras captured his frustration as soon as the board went up with his number in red. As he exited the pitch, he directed sharp words at Alonso.
“I’m leaving the team, it’s better if I leave.”
– Vinicius Jr. to Xabi Alonso
He didn’t shake hands with Alonso, bypassed the bench entirely, and headed straight for the dressing room before re-emerging near full-time.
Alonso, in his post-match briefing, adopted a cautious tone, stating he would address the matter privately: “We’ll talk about it.” Club sources described the reaction as an “internal matter” that would be resolved behind closed doors.
Vinícius Jr and Insecurity
Vinícius’s irritation did not come out of nowhere. With Mbappé’s arrival and Bellingham’s rise, his once-untouchable superstar status has dimmed. Before his substitution, he was arguably Madrid’s best player: 72 minutes, two key passes (including a pre-assist for Bellingham’s winner), three successful dribbles out of six, and was constantly tormenting Jules Koundé down the flank.
This season, he has five goals and four assists in 10 La Liga starts. Yet he has completed just three full 90-minute outings amid Alonso’s rotation policy. It’s baffling why a player in peak form, especially in El Clásico, was withdrawn when Madrid needed outlets to exploit Barcelona’s high line.
While many are on Vini’s side on this issue, there are also those that have called him out for this display. His antics crossed into unprofessional territory, particularly from a leadership figure. Vinícius’s public display of disobeying team orders and hinting at departure is not behavior that the 3rd captain of Real Madrid should be displaying. Xabi Alonso’s management style is well known, he believes in a firm rotation policy and utilizing squad depth. Vinícius has started 10 of 13 matches this season but sits out full games to preserve his explosiveness for fixtures like this. Substituting him preserved a lead against Barcelona, and allowed other players, in this case Rodrygo, to gain rhythm.
The Apology and Fallout
Three days after El Clásico, Vinícius issued a public apology on social media, blaming his “passion” for clouding his judgment and expressing regret to fans, teammates, and club president Florentino Pérez. In his apology, he surprisingly omitted Xabi Alonso. The omission sparked speculation of tension between player and coach.
Internal reports indicate Pérez backed Alonso’s decision, reinforcing the club’s stance that no player is above the project. His silence in Vinícius’s apology was interpreted within Madrid as a deliberate message of support for the manager.
Moving Forward
Last season, following his Ballon d’Or snub, Vinícius looked a shadow of himself. Under Xabi Alonso, he has found his feet again. But Alonso isn’t like Carlo Ancelotti. He doesn’t have a “hug it out” with the young kids attitude that Carlo so playfully embodied. His approach is more rigid, data-driven with a go all out to win mentality. He has the blueprint to build a new dynasty after Madrid’s disappointing 2024 campaign.
Vinícius’s apology has, for now, closed the chapter. But whether the consequences resurface on the pitch remains to be seen.
