Vinícius Júnior directed a jab at Atlético Madrid manager Diego Simeone on social media following their encounter in the Spanish Supercopa, remarking, “you’ve lost another knockout tie” on a post showcasing the incident.
Real Madrid edged past Atlético 2-1 on Thursday during the semifinal in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, securing a spot in the final against Barcelona. However, the post-match focus was primarily on the confrontation between Simeone and Vinícius.
Cameras captured the two discussing an Atlético penalty claim in the first half, where Simeone seemed to repeatedly suggest that Real would “get rid of him.”
Later in the match, both Simeone and Vinícius received yellow cards after their exchange as the Brazil international was substituted, which prompted Real coach Xabi Alonso and other staff to intervene.
In the aftermath, Simeone declined to comment on the incident, claiming he couldn’t recall the specifics, while Alonso criticized his behavior, stating he “didn’t like” what transpired and that “there are limits.”
Vinícius later added to the conversation by commenting “you’ve lost another knockout tie” on an Instagram reel featuring the altercation, shared by journalist Fabrizio Romano.
Currently, Vinícius is struggling, having gone 16 matches in all competitions without a goal, and ESPN has reported that negotiations for a new contract with Madrid are currently stalled, with his existing deal set to expire in 2027.
During the match, Federico Valverde opened the scoring for Madrid with an early free kick, followed by Rodrygo doubling the lead, before Alexander Sørloth pulled one back for Atlético.
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“I have nothing to say,” Simeone told Movistar when questioned about his remarks to Vinícius.
“What happens on the pitch stays on the pitch,” he stated, later adding in a press conference, “I can’t remember … I have a poor memory.”
“I wasn’t comfortable with it,” Alonso said when asked about Simeone’s actions. “Certain things cross a line regarding the respect owed to a colleague … That wasn’t an example of good sportsmanship. There’s a boundary.”