MADRID — Vinícius Júnior made an impressive impact with three assists and a goal, silencing fans who had previously booed him during Real Madrid‘s commanding 6-1 victory over Monaco in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Early in the match at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, some supporters jeered the Brazilian forward every time he touched the ball, but the boos subsided as the game progressed, nearly vanishing by the 63rd minute when Vinícius netted his first goal in this season’s Champions League.
Following his goal, Vinícius celebrated with teammates before going straight to new manager Alvaro Arbeloa for an embrace, acknowledging the tough period he has faced at Madrid.
“The last few days have been really challenging for me and my teammates, especially because of the boos and the talk surrounding me,” Vinícius said. “I prefer to be in the spotlight for my performances on the pitch rather than off it.”
“Scoring was a special moment. I had provided several assists, and my teammates were encouraging me to find the net. It’s important to have their confidence. We’re like a family, and together, we aim to achieve great success this season.”
The initial jeers were nowhere near as loud as they were during Madrid’s recent 2-0 victory over Levante, where fans reacted negatively to Vinícius’ name during the starting lineup announcement. By the end of this match, however, the crowd had rallied behind him, and he was named man of the match.
Vinícius has had a challenging season, with some fans citing him as a key reason for Xabi Alonso’s recent dismissal as manager.
He and Alonso had disagreements, and it was reported that Vinícius was among those who did not support Alonso in the locker room. Arbeloa, who succeeded Alonso as manager after a tumultuous eight-month spell, commented, “When the Bernabéu stands behind him, Vinícius is unstoppable. He is our most dangerous player. If we want to compete for titles, we need him. He deserves that support, and the hug he gave me was for all Madrid fans who have stood by him during tough times.”
Vinícius contributed assists for goals by Kylian Mbappé and Franco Mastantuono, and also delivered the cross that resulted in an own goal by Monaco defender Thilo Kehrer early in the second half.
Mbappé opened the scoring in the fifth minute and embraced Vinícius after both his goals, standing in solidarity with him as he has previously defended Vinícius against the crowd’s criticism.
Many fans cheered Vinícius’ seventh-minute shot that narrowly missed, but some boos followed when he mishandled a ball before halftime, only to be met with applause from others.
Unlike in the previous match against Levante, there were no immediate jeers directed at club president Florentino Pérez.
Mbappé also expressed remorse to Monaco fans after scoring, acknowledging his former club. He has now scored 18 Champions League goals for Madrid, surpassing Cristiano Ronaldo’s previous record of 14 goals in his first 20 appearances.
Jude Bellingham, who also faced boos in the last match, scored Madrid’s sixth goal in the 80th minute.
“Tonight was a testament to the Bernabéu’s unwavering support for Vinícius, Kylian, Jude, and the entire team,” Arbeloa remarked. “Bellingham’s effort was extraordinary, and that kind of commitment is what makes me happy. We need a united team, and it was a remarkable night for all of us.”
Arbeloa emphasized, “Vinícius must feel the love from our fans. He is an emotional player, and that support truly matters. The Bernabéu is a fair crowd, as we witnessed tonight.”
The match against Levante came after a difficult stretch for Madrid, including a defeat to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final in Saudi Arabia and a shocking exit in the Copa del Rey against Albacete.
However, the atmosphere was vastly different by the time the final whistle blew, leaving Madrid in second place in the Champions League table with one game remaining, in a strong position to avoid the playoff round.
“This match demonstrates that when the Bernabéu is united with the team,” Arbeloa stated. “Madrid shines brightest when the crowd is behind us on those important nights. Many of us have experienced that firsthand, and it’s what we need.”
A moment of silence was observed before the match in memory of the victims of a recent train crash in southern Spain that claimed over 40 lives.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this story.