Brazilian forward Vinicius Junior was targeted by the Santiago Bernabéu crowd this Saturday during the clash against Valencia, part of Matchday 30 of La Liga.
Things move quickly at Real Madrid. Known for their high expectations, the club’s fans made their feelings clear towards Vinicius Junior on Saturday. In a match where he was highly anticipated, the Brazilian winger unfortunately made headlines for the wrong reasons in the first half by missing a crucial penalty. As Real Madrid pushed to take the lead and Kylian Mbappé had done his part by winning the spot-kick, Vini stepped up to take responsibility – and squandered the opportunity in the 13th minute. Just like in previous failed attempts, the 25-year-old delivered a poor strike.
A clear message from the Madrid faithful
Immediately after that missed chance, Valencia opened the scoring through Mouctar Diakhaby in the 15th minute, following a poorly defended corner by Antonio Rüdiger, who was slow to react. In response, the Santiago Bernabéu faithful turned on Vinicius, whistling him loudly. Every touch of the ball, especially in the first half, was met with hostility. Much like his missed penalty, Vinicius’ first-half performance was a reflection of his struggles. Although he eventually redeemed himself with the equaliser, the defeat overshadowed his goal – and the missed penalty still looms large.
It must be said that Real Madrid fans are known for their ruthless standards. When they feel a player isn’t performing to expectations, they don’t hesitate to voice their discontent – regardless of the name on the shirt. Di Stéfano, Cristiano Ronaldo, Di María, Casillas, Juanito… The list of legends who have been whistled at the Bernabéu is as long as the club’s storied history. For Vinicius Junior – still one of the club’s finest talents – this is a harsh blow, as highlighted by Marca.
At the same time, it serves as a serious wake-up call for the man many believe was unfairly denied the 2024 Ballon d’Or. Since the arrival of Kylian Mbappé, who once again shone on Saturday, Vinicius has struggled to deliver consistent top-level performances. Sometimes brilliant, sometimes average, and occasionally poor – that has been the pattern of the Brazilian star’s season. He’ll need to bounce back in a big way next Tuesday, when Real Madrid face Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals.
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