Tag: Vinicius

Real Madrid roared back to life this week, led by a superb Vinicius Junior, who is looking to confirm his own resuscitation and that of his team at Villarreal on Saturday in La Liga.

Second-placed Madrid can move top of the table with a victory before leaders Barcelona host Real Oviedo on Sunday and crush the threat of another title contender at the same time as they head to Spain’s east coast.

Marcelino Garcia Toral’s Villarreal are third, seven points behind Madrid and eight off champions Barca, and a defeat would virtually write off any chance of a first ever title.

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An emphatic 6-1 victory over Monaco on Tuesday in the Champions League helped brighten the gloom in the Spanish capital and earn new coach Alvaro Arbeloa a modicum of credit.

It was the first glimpse of what his team might look like, after the Copa del Rey last 16 defeat against Albacete in his first match at the helm was the performance of a club deep in the doldrums, two days after Xabi Alonso’s departure.

Brazilian forward Vinicius has issued a public apology to Real Madrid after his angered reaction to being substituted during a tense 2-1 win over arch-rival Barcelona at the weekend.

Vinicius remonstrated with coach Xabi Alonso and marched off down the tunnel after he was hauled off in the 72nd minute and replaced with Rodrygo.

Vinicius did not mention the Real Madrid coach in his apology.

 “Today I want to apologise to all Madrid fans for my reaction to being substituted in the Clasico. Just as I have already done it in person during today’s training, I also want to apologise again to my teammates, club and president,” said the 25-year-old.

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“Sometimes passion gets the better of me by always wanting to win and help my team. My competitive nature is born from the love I feel for this club and for everything it represents. I promise to continue fighting every second for the good of Real Madrid, as I have done since day one,” Vinícius said.

The player did return to the pitch-side to see out the match, and was one of the players embroiled in a stand-off with Barcelona star Lamine Yamal.

Alonso said after the game that the matter of Vinicius’s huff would be dealt with in the dressing room.

• Saudi Pro League chiefs readying ‘world-record bid’ for Vinicius

Saudi Pro League officials are reportedly prepared to table a world-record bid for Real Madrid attacker Vinicius Junior.

The Brazil international has seen his Real Madrid future called into question, having entered the final two years of his current contract.

Vinicius’ representatives have been in discussions with Los Blancos over a new contract, with the player keen to continue his association with the record European champions.

However, it was recently reported that talks between the two parties have stalled, adding fuel to speculation linking Vinicius with a move away from the Santiago Bernabeu. The Saudi Pro League has emerged as the leading candidate to secure Vinicius’ services if the door opens to a surprise Real Madrid exit.

According to talkSPORT, Saudi chiefs are willing to smash the world transfer record in a bid to sign the Real Madrid star.

The report suggests that they are ready to spend an eye-watering €350m (£302m), which would surpass the £200m Paris Saint-Germain splashed out to recruit Neymar from Barcelona in 2017.

Vinicius has already been presented with a five-year deal worth €1bn (£864m) to swap La Liga for the Saudi Pro League.

The Public Investment Fund (PIF) and the Saudi Ministry of Sport are keen to add Vinicius to Al-Ahli’s squad if they are able to pull off the world-record transfer.

Al-Ahli, one of four Saudi Pro League clubs owned by PIF, can already boast Ivan Toney, Edouard Mendy, Riyad Mahrez and Roberto Firmino as some of the star players in Matthias Jaissle’s squad.

Vinicus has reportedly left the door open to completing a move to Saudi Arabia at some stage of his career.

The Saudi Pro League are keen to sign Vinicius in the next three years, although it would be a significant surprise to see him leave Real Madrid this summer.

Read Also: Four ‘jailed’ over Vinicius Jr’s effigy

The 25-year-old still remains a key player of the Real Madrid squad, even if it is still unclear whether he and Kylian Mbappe can thrive in the same team.

The 2024-25 campaign may have been a disappointing one for Los Blancos, but Vinicius still managed to score 22 goals and provide 19 assists in 48 competitive matches.

A player of Vinicius’  quality and age should be playing their football for the biggest clubs in the world, and with that in mind, it is difficult to see why he would leave Real Madrid unless he falls out of favour under new head coach Xabi Alonso. And even if he were to leave Los Blancos, he would surely continue his career at another top European club, even if the financial incentive of a move to Saudi Arabia would be difficult to turn down.

Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr said his critics “continue to try to cancel me, to belittle me” after earning one of football’s biggest individual honours.

The Brazil international was named the men’s player of the year at the FIFA Best Awards on Tuesday, seven weeks after missing out on the Ballon d’Or.

The 24-year-old has repeatedly been racially abused while playing in Spain over the past two seasons.

Yet Vinicius scored a career-high 24 goals during the 2023-24 season, helping Real win La Liga and the Champions League.

“I came, I saw, I won,” he wrote on Instagram. “Today I write this for that boy who saw so many idols lift that trophy…your time has come.

“That is, my time has come. The time to state that, yes, I am the best player in the world and I fought a lot to get here.”

Vinicius and his club boycotted the Ballon d’Or ceremony in October, with Real saying the club “does not go where it is not respected”.

Team-mates Jude Bellingham and Dani Carvajal were also nominated for the men’s award, which was won by Manchester City and Spain midfielder Rodri.

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Vinicius, who joined Real from Flamengo in 2018, added: “They tried and continue to try to cancel me, to belittle me. But they’re not able to.

“Nobody is going to tell me for whom I can fight, or how I should behave. When I was in [home town] Sao Goncalo, the system didn’t work for me. I was almost swallowed up.

“I won for me, for my family. With a lot of support along the way: Flamengo, Real Madrid, the Brazilian national team, hundreds of my fellow players during those years…the people who share with me my daily routine, who admire me…the best player in the world.”

Real coach Carlo Ancelotti and forward Kylian Mbappe both won individual honours at the Ballon d’Or ceremony but neither was present to receive their award.

After Rodri was named the men’s winner, Vinicius posted on X: “They’re not ready.”

The Ballon d’Or and FIFA Best Awards are the two most prestigious in football, and Vinicius was present to collect his first FIFA prize in Doha.

The award – for football from August 2023 to August 2024 – was decided by a mix of public vote, one journalist from each country and the captain and manager of each national team. Each group’s vote counted for 25%.

Vinicius Jr scored a fine hat-trick as Real Madrid beat Osasuna 4-0 in a match overshadowed by Eder Militao’s serious knee injury.

The Brazilian center-back went down screaming in agony after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament when he jarred his right knee at a corner and was carried off the pitch on a stretcher with half an hour played, as 21-year old Raul Asencio replaced him for his Real debut.

A Real Madrid statement, external said that Militao “has been diagnosed with a complete tear of the anterior cruciate ligament with involvement of both menisci in his right leg” and will have surgery “in the coming days”.

Speaking after the win, manager Carlo Ancelotti said: “Three injuries in the first half is quite rare.

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“The demands of the schedule do not allow players to rest and be fresh. The risk of injuries is higher. It is a general thing, not just for us.”

Vinicius’ goals helped ensure the hosts got back to winning ways after two successive defeats.

The Brazilian forward opened the scoring when he cut in from the left and slotted past Osasuna goalkeeper Sergio Herrera into the far corner.

Jude Bellingham scored his first goal of the season, latching on to Asencio’s super long ball from defence to dink over Herrera.

Spanish police said they had arrested four males suspected of inciting an online hate campaign targeting Real Madrid star Vinicius before last month’s derby at Atletico Madrid.

The viral social media campaign before the September 29 clash encouraged Atletico fans to arrive at the club’s Metropolitano stadium and utter “degrading and discriminatory insults with racist connotations” against a Real player, police said.

Participants were urged to come wearing masks to thwart attempts to identify them, police added in a statement without naming Vinicius.

The investigation began at the start of this month following three complaints by La Liga and four males suspected of inciting hatred were arrested on October 14 and 15.

Further arrests cannot be ruled out as the investigation remains open, police added.

Read Also: Vinicius Jr ruled out of  Brazil’s World Cup qualifiers 

Opposition fans have singled out Vinicius for racist abuse at several La Liga stadiums since the Brazil forward, 24, joined Real Madrid in 2018.

In January 2023, a dark-skinned effigy wearing a Vinicius shirt was found hanging from a bridge near the club’s training ground alongside a banner saying: “Madrid hates Real”.

In December, four Atletico Madrid fans were charged over the incident, with prosecutors pushing for jail terms of four years.

Last month’s Madrid derby was also marred by a 15-minute suspension after Atletico fans hurled objects including lighters onto the pitch in the second half.

The violence eventually earned Atletico a fine and a partial stadium closure. The game ended 1-1.

Vinicius Jr’s dazzling performances at Real Madrid have put the Brazilian forward in conversation to win his first Ballon d’Or and manager Carlo Ancelotti said the 23-year-old deserved to win the prestigious award.

Vinicius has netted five times and provided as many assists in the Champions League alone this season to help Madrid book a place in the final, while also scoring 13 goals in LaLiga, which they clinched for a record-extending 36th time last weekend.

The record 14-times European champions will take on German side Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League final at Wembley on June 1.

“He’s doing a great job,” Ancelotti told reporters on the eve of Saturday’s league trip to relegation-threatened Granada.

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“He’s still got the Champions League final to come and then he’ll be at the Copa America. He’s very close, and if he has positive results in both competitions, he could well win it (Ballon d’Or).

“Before I came to coach Madrid, I saw Vinicius on TV and I thought what an incredibly talented player he looked. When I arrived here, that much was clear, and he’s improved on many things to enhance that talent.

“He’s better at evading his markers now and has improved in front of goal as well. He’s done so with a spectacular work ethic on a daily basis, he’s focused in training and recovers well after matches.

“He’s a highly disciplined professional and he deserves everything he’s achieved.”

But Ancelotti said the rest of his squad have been just as important in a campaign where several key players at Madrid have suffered injuries.

Vinicius moved to the Santiago Bernabeu from Brazil’s Flamengo in 2018.

“He’s among the best in the world and this is Vinicius’ moment because he brings us so much. He’s been important in us making the Champions League final and winning LaLiga. But we mustn’t forget how the others have contributed,” the Italian said.

“Madrid’s time is up until the first of June. After that, who knows, it might be Borussia’s moment.”

French defensive midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni is a doubt for the final after picking up an injury in their semi-final win over Bayern Munich on Wednesday.

“(Goalkeeper Thibaut) Courtois will play, as will (Eder) Militao. They both need the game time… (goalkeeper Andriy) Lunin has to be ready to play as well. That’s why I’ll have to assess the goalkeeping issue in the coming games,” Ancelotti said on team rotation.

Vinicius Junior scored twice as Real Madrid moved 10 points clear at the top of La Liga with victory over Osasuna.

The Brazilian put Real ahead after just four minutes but Ante Budimir levelled for Osasuna shortly after.

Dani Carvajal made it 2-1 to Real, finishing into the top left corner, and Brahim Diaz met Federico Valverde’s through ball to score a third.

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Vinicius got his second before Iker Munoz fired through the legs of Andriy Lunin for Osasuna’s second.

They are still in the Champions League where they have drawn holders Manchester City at the quarter-final stage.