Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior allegedly calls Espanyol rival an 'idiot' & makes 'you're going back to the second division' jibe

Real Madrid’s comfortable away victory over Espanyol was overshadowed by a fiery on-field clash between Vinicius and defender El Hilali. The tension began early as the Brazilian winger grew frustrated with the defender’s physical approach, particularly during set-pieces where there was heavy grappling. Television cameras from Movistar Plus+ Deportes captured the pair exchanging words throughout the match.

The confrontation escalated as the game progressed. El Hilali was initially shown a straight red card for a challenge on Vinicius, but the referee overturned the decision after a VAR review and downgraded it to a yellow card, leaving Madrid players visibly annoyed.

During the exchange, Vinicius angrily confronted the Espanyol defender. "Stop this nonsense, then ask me to swap shirts... You're stupid, you want to fight... I'm not swapping shirts with you," the Real Madrid forward allegedly said, per Marca. As the confrontation intensified, he is said to have shouted again: "Idiot. You're an idiot."

El Hilali responded in kind, seemingly replying: "Idiot." Later in the match, Vinicius was heard speaking to Espanyol's Carlos Romero about the defender, allegedly saying: "He's stupid, man. He wants to act like a fool for TV."

The atmosphere inside the RCDE Stadium intensified when home supporters began chanting “Vinicius, beach ball!” in reference to the Brazilian’s Ballon d’Or ambitions.

Vinicius responded with a sharp remark aimed at Espanyol’s league situation, allegedly telling El Hilali: "You're going back to the Second Division, man." The verbal spat continued, with Vinicius apparently adding: "You're terrible," before the Espanyol player allegedly replied: "And you're a whore."

Despite the ongoing verbal battle, Vinicius ultimately let his football do the talking. The winger scored twice to secure all three points for Alvaro Arbeloa’s Madrid side. It remains unclear whether these words will result in Vinicius or El Hilali being sanctioned by La Liga.