Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior apologized to everyone apart from manager Xabi Alonso in a statement which was meant to quell the controversy caused by his actions over the weekend but has only supported reports of widespread tension.
Vinícius stormed off in a strop when he was substituted during the second half of Sunday’s Clásico victory over Barcelona. The Brazilian was quoted as shouting: “Always me! I’m leaving the team! I’m leaving, I’d better go!”
This sparked a wave of speculation suggesting that Vinícius was on his way out of the Spanish capital. The mercurial forward did his best to downplay those rumors with a declaration of his affection for the club and their fans, yet his public apology was notably lacking any reference to the man who he stormed past on Sunday.
“Today I want to apologize to all the Madridistas for my reaction when I was substituted in El Clásico,” Vinícius wrote on X. “Just as I have already done in person during today’s training, I also want to apologize again to my teammates, the club, and the president.
“Sometimes passion gets the better of me because I always want to win and help my team. My competitive character stems from the love I feel for this club and everything it represents.
“I promise to keep fighting every second for the good of Real Madrid, as I have done since the first day.”
Xabi Alonso Tensions Stretch Beyond Vinicius—Report
Vinícius may be engaged in the most public feud with Alonso, but the new Real Madrid manager is far from universally popular, according to The Athletic. Several unnamed players, who were labelled as “big stars” are said to be “frustrated,” “disrespected and dissatisfied” with the former Bayer Leverkusen boss.
The main complaints seem to revolve around the culture clash between Alonso and Carlo Ancelotti. The Italian may have been Alonso’s former manager, but the Spanish coach has reportedly adopted an all-controlling approach which has supposedly restricted players’ on-pitch freedom.
The head coach is described as “distant and unapproachable,” while many figures supposedly came up with the same damning assessment: “He thinks he’s Pep Guardiola.”
It’s not all negative for Alonso. There hasn’t been a whisper of public dissent towards the Basque boss from Madrid’s squad, with several players lauding the more hands-on approach from the 43-year-old. As with any feud in the Spanish capital, results will be the ultimate barometer. After lifting Real Madrid five points clear of Barcelona following Sunday’s Clásico win, Alonso has some breathing room—for now.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Vinicius Junior Snubs Xabi Alonso Once Again, Releases Statement.
