A key figure in Manchester City’s defeat on Tuesday night in the first leg of the Champions League knockout round, Vinicius Junior was the target of a banner displayed by the English club’s supporters. Following the 3-2 loss, the fans clarified that the message was not directed at Carlo Ancelotti’s player but rather at the Real Madrid president.
“Stop crying your heart out”—that was the clear and unequivocal message displayed by Manchester City supporters’ group 1894 at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday. Given Vinicius Junior’s return to Rodri’s side, the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner, one might have thought the message was aimed directly at the Madrid winger. However, as the banner went viral and was misinterpreted in light of Vinicius’ outstanding performance—where he provided two assists and was named Man of the Match—the group responsible issued a statement.
City fans set the record straight
On their X account this Wednesday, the Citizens supporters clarified that their message was not aimed at Vinicius Junior but rather at Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez. “Has no one in the media realised that the person targeted by the banner wasn’t even on the pitch? Florentino Pérez,” wrote 1894. “He was the one who launched a smear campaign against Rodri and orchestrated his club’s players boycotting the ceremony. It had to be said, regardless of the match result.”
This clarification comes as Vinicius’ brilliance at the Etihad, under Rodri’s very eyes, is now being widely acknowledged. In England, the banner has triggered significant media backlash. According to several journalists and pundits, the gesture from City supporters was out of place and unnecessary. Some fans of Pep Guardiola’s team even believe that the banner, which was not explained before the match, only served to further motivate Vinicius Junior to deliver a colossal performance.
A blessing in disguise for Vinicius
Regardless, the damage is done. After the match, the 24-year-old Brazilian made it clear that the jeers he received from the crowd, along with the banner, only pushed him to perform even better.
“The tifo? I saw it, but whenever the opposition fans do something like this, it gives me even more strength to play a great match, and that’s exactly what I did here… They know our history, everything we achieve in this competition. This is the fifth time we’ve played here, it’s always freezing cold, and we must continue down this path,” Vinicius told Real Madrid’s official channel.
Next week, the second leg of this gigantic showdown will determine which club advances to the Champions League quarter-finals. With outstanding performances from Kylian Mbappé and Aurélien Tchouaméni, Real Madrid appears to be on the right track. However, they must remain cautious, as Manchester City will be desperate to pull off a comeback after Tuesday’s setback.
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