Real Madrid have been advised to do "everything possible” to sell Vinicius Junior if he demands a contract similar to Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi. The Brazilian forward is not considered to be deserving of such terms, with the Blancos needing to move him on - amid interest from the Saudi Pro League - as no player is bigger than the Liga heavyweights.
Vinicius Junior jetted off to Dubai less than a day after he was booed and jeered by Real Madrid fans at the Bernabeu during their 2-0 win over Sevilla in La Liga on Saturday. After a series of poor results at the start of this month, Madrid are finally showing some consistency as they have now won three matches in a row across all competitions, including their last two league outings.
GOAL U.S. writers take a look at some of the biggest storylines in European soccer, including Mo Salah's future, Vinicius Jr's exit rumors, and the Premier League title race
La Liga president Javier Tebas has offered a staunch defence of under-fire Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso, insisting he has "seen this movie" of crisis talk many times before. Despite the champions suffering back-to-back defeats and facing intense scrutiny over their form, the league chief believes the Basque coach has the "Madrid DNA" required to survive the storm and turn the season around.
Bayern Munich legends Oliver Kahn and Dietmar Hamann have delivered a damning verdict on Xabi Alonso’s tumultuous start at Real Madrid. Kahn argues the Spaniard’s tactical obsession clashes with the club’s DNA, while Hamann claims the squad are now 'untrainable' after Vinicius Jr was allowed to undermine the manager’s authority.
Manchester City were delighted after VAR intervened to stop the award of a penalty to Real Madrid in just the second minute of the Champions League clash at the Bernabeu on Wednesday night. Vinicius Jr was seen punching the air in delight after the referee pointed to the spot, but Matheus Nunes' foul was adjudged to have happened just outside the box on a night where City ran out 2-1 victors over the Spaniards.
German football legend Lothar Matthaus has issued a stark warning to Xabi Alonso, suggesting that Real Madrid superstars Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior may struggle to adapt to his rigid tactical demands after years of "freedom" under Carlo Ancelotti. The Spanish side's recent struggles have sparked claims the coach could be sacked, with his damaged relationship with the Brazilian a major point of contention.
Vinicius Junior is all set to face Erling Haaland in the international arena as a Brazil football chief has revealed plans to organise a pre-World Cup friendly with Norway in a potential repeat of the 1998 classic. The Manchester City goal machine emerged as the highest scorer in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers as his 16 goals helped Norway reach the finals in North America.
Not a single Real Madrid player spoke to the media on Sunday night. They don't have to, of course, but after Los Blancos drew 1-1 with struggling Girona, every single squad member walked through the mixed zone without acknowledging the awaiting press. It was emblematic of a shift at the club, the good vibes within this great institution falling apart.
Carlo Ancelotti has warned Neymar and Vinicius Junior that they must be at "100 per cent" to make Brazil's 2026 World Cup squad. The manager delivered his clearest message yet to Brazil’s biggest names, insisting that neither reputation nor past achievements will secure anyone a seat on the plane to the United States, Canada and Mexico. His comments arrive at a particularly delicate moment for Neymar, whose turbulent return to Santos has been overshadowed by persistent physical setbacks.
Trouble may be brewing at Real Madrid, with Los Blancos’ dressing room said to be divided when it comes to head coach Xabi Alonso and the methods that he has introduced since taking the reins in the Spanish capital. Precious points have been dropped over recent weeks, leading to uncomfortable questions being asked of those underperforming on and off the field.
Vinicius Jr has softened his stance over a blockbuster salary request and is now edging closer to accepting Real Madrid’s reduced contract proposal. The Brazilian, once determined to match Kylian Mbappe’s earnings, has shifted course just weeks after tensions with Xabi Alonso threatened to derail negotiations.
A ridiculous four-goal showing from Kylian Mbappe led an otherwise shaky Real Madrid to a 4-3 win over Olympiacos in the Champions League on Wednesday evening. The Frenchman continued his outrageous run of form, while Vinicius Jr eased tensions after a week of controversy by grabbing an assist to carry Los Blancos to a much-needed European victory against a dogged opponent.
Real Madrid’s 2-2 draw at Elche sparked fresh controversy after Vinicius Jr collided with goalkeeper Inaki Pena in the build up to Jude Bellingham’s late equaliser. Elche protested fiercely as Peña was left bleeding, but La Liga’s "Review Time" panel will not re-examine the incident and former Madrid star Fernando Morientes, an member of the panel, has explained why.
Xabi Alonso has insisted that he's unfazed by reports of friction between him and Vinicius Junior as pressure ramps up on the Real Madrid manager amid the team's three-match winless run. The streak started with a loss at Liverpool in the Champions League, followed by back-to-back draws in La Liga against Rayo Vallecano and Elche, which allowed Barcelona to cut the gap at the top of La Liga to just one point.
The signs that Vinicius Jr's relationship with Xabi Alonso's wasn't going to run smoothly were there almost immediately. Had Trent Alexander-Arnold not suffered an injury the day before Real Madrid's Club World Cup semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain, the new Blancos boss was planning to bench his Brazilian winger, preferring instead to hand homegrown forward Gonzalo Garcia a start up front alongside Kylian Mbappe.
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