Just days after Vinicius Junior faced a significant racial incident involving SL Benfica, the Brazilian star encountered yet another instance of appalling hostility.
Real Madrid experienced a disappointing 2-1 defeat to Osasuna at El Sadar Stadium on Saturday, but the upsetting result was overshadowed by disturbing chants aimed at the winger.
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Toxic Atmosphere at El Sadar
During the match, the 25-year-old was subjected to loud boos and derogatory slurs, as reported by The Athletic.
Parts of the home crowd chanted “Vinicius, balon de playa” (beach ball) in mockery of his second-place finish for the 2024 Ballon d’Or, alongside shouts of “tonto” (fool).
More alarmingly, La Liga has confirmed that it is investigating video evidence showing fans chanting “Vinicius, muerete” (Vinicius, die).
Vinicius Jr. has once again become a target for racial abuse. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)
The atmosphere at this stadium has a troubling history for the Real Madrid forward. In 2023, an Osasuna supporter was recorded racially abusing Vinicius, but the Pamplona court controversially dismissed the case in 2024 due to an inability to identify the offender.
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On the pitch, Vinicius briefly silenced the crowd in the 73rd minute by scoring a goal following a brilliant pass from Federico Valverde. He celebrated by pointing to his name and gesturing “I’m here” to the ground.
However, Osasuna secured all three points with Raul García’s 90th-minute winner, adding to Ante Budimir’s first-half penalty.
The loss puts Alvaro Arbeloa’s side in a precarious position at the top of the table. The manager, who substituted Valverde late in the match to prevent injury, swiftly turned his attention to Wednesday’s vital Champions League playoff second leg against Jose Mourinho’s Benfica.
“I hope it doesn’t mean anything, because we’re playing for our lives again in four days. A team shows its strength in challenging times. There’s no room for doubts,” Arbeloa remarked during his press conference.