Vinicius Junior ensured the Barcelona faithful knew exactly who remain the kings of the Champions League despite Real Madrid suffering a painful Clasico defeat on Sunday. As Los Blancos struggled to a 2-0 away defeat to their arch-rivals, the Brazilian winger took it upon himself to silence the jeering home crowd with a pointed reminder of the trophy cabinet in the capital.
During the Clásico, which ended in a 2-0 defeat to the newly crowned champions FC Barcelona, Vinicius Junior was provoked into making a provocative gesture.
Vinicius Jr went missing and Real Madrid turned in a spirited yet ineffective performance against Barcelona, losing 2-0 and watching their rivals lift the league trophy in the process. Los Blancos were outplayed throughout, and could never recover from an early deficit in a game that more or less summed up the massive gulf in quality between the two teams.
Just before the title is decided, a bombshell drops: former president Josep Bartomeu reveals that Vinicius Junior was on the verge of signing for FC Barcelona.
Former Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has revealed the club once had a preliminary agreement to sign Vinicius Junior before he joined Real Madrid. The Brazilian winger ultimately moved to the Santiago Bernabeu after Madrid offered a stronger financial package.
Manchester City are reportedly monitoring Vinicius Junior as uncertainty grows over the winger’s future at Real Madrid. With his contract entering its final year and negotiations stalled, the Cityzens are ready to explore a potential move.
Real Madrid is spiraling into chaos on the eve of El Clásico. The club is set to finish the season trophy-less, and players are now openly sniping at one another. The fracture appears to have been simmering for months.
Referee Francois Letexier has broken his silence on the high-profile incident between Vinicius Junior and Gianluca Prestianni that rocked the Champions League earlier this year. The French official was forced to halt the knockout stage clash after the Real Madrid star reported receiving racial abuse from his Benfica counterpart.
FIFA have extended Gianluca Prestianni's ban for homophobic conduct globally, meaning he could now miss Argentina's first two games at the 2026 World Cup. The Benfica winger, who was sanctioned following a high-profile clash with Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior, will now see his club-level suspension apply to international competitive fixtures.
Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior was caught in a heated exchange with Espanyol defender Omar El Hilali during Los Blancos' 2-0 victory at the RCDE Stadium. Footage has emerged showing the Brazilian winger engaging in a relentless war of words with his opponent, allegedly calling him an "idiot".
Vinicius Junior has sent a defiant message of loyalty to Real Madrid supporters following his match-winning performance against Espanyol. The Brazilian forward, who found the net twice in a 2-0 La Liga victory at the RCDE Stadium on Sunday, took to social media to reassure the fans of his commitment to the cause.
Vinicius Jr bagged a brace, Jude Bellingham provided a lovely assist, and Real Madrid strolled to a convincing 2-0 win over Espanyol on Sunday evening. Madrid got things done without Kylian Mbappe, and Alvaro Arbeloa will be pleased with the performance - but with the knowledge that their win only delays Barcelona's inevitable march to the league title.
Rodrygo has explained to GOAL how “healthy competition” between the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham at Real Madrid helps to make “everyone better”. With the Blancos forever in the hunt for major honours at home and abroad, it is important for the highest of standards to be set by ‘Galactico’ performers behind the scenes.