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Vinicius JuniorGetty Images
Aryan Suraj Chadha

Xabi Alonso told he 'has to take action' to stop Vinicius Jr's 'unacceptable and egocentric' behaviour as ex-coach slams Real Madrid star's Clasico dramatics

Vinicius Junior
X. Alonso
Real Madrid
Barcelona
LaLiga

Former Atletico Madrid star Gabi has blasted Vinicius Junior's Clasico antics as "unacceptable and egocentric," telling Xabi Alonso he "has to take action" against the Real Madrid star. The criticism follows Vinicius storming down the tunnel after being substituted against Barcelona, reportedly saying he will leave the Spanish side as he walked down the tunnel.

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  • Vinicius causes a storm in the Clasico

    Vinicius has faced heavy criticism for his explosive reaction to being substituted in the 72nd minute of Sunday's 2-1 win against Barcelona. Alonso withdrew the Brazilian to replace him with compatriot Rodrygo. In response, Vinicius stormed off the pitch, reportedly shouting: "Always me... I'm leaving the team, it's better if I leave, I'm leaving," towards the bench.

    He proceeded directly down the tunnel, only to return to the bench several minutes later. He was subsequently booked after the final whistle for his involvement in a post-match confrontation centred around Barcelona's Lamine Yamal.

    Former Real Zaragoza coach and Atletico Madrid captain did not hold back in his assessment of the Brazilian's theatrics, insisting the responsibility to manage the star lies firmly with the coach.

    "He tests everyone around him every day. For me, it was to be expected; the one who has to take action is the coach," Gabi said on Cadena SER.

    "What I detest most in a footballer is the theatrics and grand gestures, being put to the test in public... Whatever you want behind closed doors, no problem."

  • Gabi condemns 'egocentric' apology

    The former coach also outlined how he would have managed the immediate fallout, criticising Vinicius's subsequent actions, which included a public apology that conspicuously omitted his manager.

    "What would I have done after the Clasico? After the match, you have to talk to him," Gabi said. "You can't just let it go and have him issue a statement and not apologise to the coach. It's unacceptable and egocentric."

    Gabi extended his criticism beyond the single incident, suggesting a pattern of behaviour and referencing Vinicius's high-profile anti-racism campaign, which he implied the player was using inappropriately.

    "It's a combination of things. You get carried away and do things that, in my opinion, are inappropriate," Gabi said. "You judge teammates, the coach, a whole country, saying we're all racist... what the hell is going on? This isn't the path for me. It's very difficult to know how to win; you get carried away and do things that aren't right."

    He concluded: "No one can think they are above the team. Any player who feels superior has a problem... Unless you're Messi, who won games single-handedly."

  • Real Madrid opt against punishing Brazilian

    Despite Gabi's call for action, Madrid will not formally punish or suspend Vinicius for the outburst, ESPN reports. The club maintain that disciplinary matters remain internal and a spokesperson declined to comment. However, the report adds the relationship between Alonso and Vinicius has been "affected" by the incident and the pair were expected to hold face-to-face talks upon the squad's return to training.

    At the executive level, AS reports the hierarchy is "fully supportive" of Alonso's decision-making. The coach, who returned to the Bernabeu this summer after a successful spell at Bayer Leverkusen, is free to make technical decisions as he sees fit.

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  • Alonso addresses Vinicius Jr issue

    Publicly, Xabi Alonso refused to criticise the winger in his post-match press conference, instead contextualising the substitution as a normal part of management.

    "The only thing Vinicius was missing was a goal," Alonso told reporters. "It's true that he came off the pitch when he was feeling best and I could have waited a bit to replace him, but I understood that we needed fresh players to maintain control. Vinicius wanted to stay on because he was feeling good.

    "Franco [Mastantuono] wanted to carry on playing too. He said to me, 'Are you taking me off?' And I said, 'Yes'. Something similar happened with Vini. He wasn't very happy, but neither was Franco. It happens to everyone, but I'm very happy with Vinicius's performance. The schedule is demanding and we have to keep going.”

  • Vinicius XabiIMAGO / Alberto Gardin

    What next: Contract talks stall as Vinicius 'considers leaving'

    The incident has created significant friction, with reportsclaiming Vinicius is now "seriously considering leaving" Real Madrid. The report alleges the player feels Alonso does not respect his past achievements - which include 14 trophies - and will seek a move unless the coach "backs" him in the same way he does Kylian Mbappe.

    This tension has reportedly been building since July, when Alonso benched the player during the Club World Cup semi-final.

    Compounding the issue, contract negotiations to extend Vinicius's deal beyond its 2027 expiry have reportedly "stalled". An agreement until 2030, worth a reported €18 million (£15m/$20m) per year plus bonuses, was close to being finalised but talks have now frozen.

    While Real Madrid insist the player is "non-transferable", Paris Saint-Germain are reportedly monitoring the situation closely should the relationship between player and coach break down completely.

    Real Madrid must navigate this internal tension as they prepare for a home fixture against Valencia in La Liga on Saturday, followed by a crucial Champions League trip to face Liverpool three days later.

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