22h after the Clasico, Vinicius Junior cracks completely : « We must punish.
Less than a day after Real Madrid’s defeat at the Santiago Bernabeu against FC Barcelona (4-0), Vinicius Junior addressed the situation. While his team’s performance was under scrutiny, the Brazilian focused on the racist insults directed at Barcelona players.
Real Madrid maintains its commitment to human and social values, regardless of outcomes. As Barcelona condemned the racist and xenophobic slurs directed at Lamine Yamal, Ansu Fati, and Raphinha during the Clasico, Florentino Perez’s club released a statement denouncing the Madrid supporters responsible. Unsurprisingly, Vinicius Junior, a key figure in the fight against racism in La Liga, also spoke out.
In a direct message on social media, the potential Ballon d’Or 2024 winner expressed disappointment towards the “criminals” who hurled insults at the Barcelona players, who were simply doing their jobs. He stated, “What happened yesterday at the Bernabeu with the racist insults is unacceptable. There is no place for these criminals in our society. I fully support Lamine, Ansu, and Raphinha. I trust that Madrid and the police will act to identify and punish those responsible.”
This strong message is likely to resonate with Catalans. Despite the pain of their defeat, such feelings cannot justify the xenophobic behavior that has tarnished La Liga’s reputation for years. It is I crucial that the individuals identifiable in the videos circulating online are apprehended and banned from stadiums, similar to actions taken against certain Atletico Madrid supporters recently.