Former Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos has spoken out in support of Vinícius Júnior, who reacted angrily after being substituted during the Clásico. Kroos remarked, “I never liked being taken off either,” but acknowledged that Vinícius might later reflect on how he handled his emotions in that moment.
Vinícius was clearly frustrated when he was replaced by coach Xabi Alonso in the 72nd minute of Madrid’s 2-1 LaLiga victory over Barcelona on Sunday, expressing his discontent while still on the field and swiftly leaving for the tunnel.
ESPN has reported that a rift has developed between Vinícius and Alonso, with Vinícius planning to discuss the incident with teammates before speaking with the coach during training on Wednesday.
Kroos shared his thoughts in the latest episode of his podcast, Einfach mal Luppen: “I never liked being substituted either. But honestly, I never walked straight to the dressing room… It’s easy to judge from the outside. Nobody but those playing in a Clásico in front of 80,000 fans, with a 2-1 score, can understand that feeling.”
“You don’t want to come off at that moment. It’s hard for anyone to grasp Vinícius’ position. With some time to think, he might realize he needed to manage his anger better. I understand it can create a bad impression, but it’s an incredibly emotional situation.”
Following the substitution, Vinícius returned to the bench for the remainder of the match at the Bernabéu and received a yellow card during a chaotic aftermath as players—including Dani Carvajal—confronted Lamine Yamal after the latter’s remarks criticizing Madrid.
Alonso has excluded the Brazilian international, who has netted five goals and provided four assists in the current season, from the starting lineup thrice this year.
“We’ll discuss it,” said Alonso on Sunday when questioned about Vinícius’ reaction. “I want to focus on the positives from the game and on the good contributions from Vini… I don’t want the attention to shift away from what truly matters. Vini played a significant role.”
– Sources: Alonso, Vini Jr. relationship strained post Clásico
– Real Madrid’s Dani Carvajal to undergo another knee surgery
– Barcelona’s Yamal faced backlash for pre-Clásico comments, yet others also faltered
According to previous reports from ESPN, those close to Vinícius feel that Alonso is not overly fond of the player, and while their relationship has faced challenges, it has not completely broken down.
After the Clásico win, Alonso granted the players a two-day break, during which Vinícius traveled to Monaco after enjoying dinner with friends, where they avoided discussing the contentious game.
Contract negotiations for Vinícius, whose current deal runs until 2027, are presently at a standstill, after the club’s initial proposal failed to meet his representatives’ request for an additional €10 million ($11.65m) in potential bonuses, alongside a €20 million ($23.31m) annual salary.
Information from ESPN’s Bruno Andrade contributed to this report.