Vinicius Junior Set To Leave Real Madrid Over Racist Abuse

Vinicius Junior could leave Real Madrid on a free transfer in 2024 because of the racist abuse he has suffered in Spain, hinting as much in a social media statement made after being sent off against Valencia on Sunday while ESPN Brasil reports that the possibility has been tabled by the player’s camp.

The Brazilian was dismissed following a tussle with Hugo Duro in the 97th minute of a 1-0 loss at the Mestella.

Before that, however, the 22-year-old was understandably riled up when members of the home support aimed racist abuse at him.

Vinicius pointed out one individual as play was halted, but a clip on social media shows hoards of fans chanting “mono” – meaning “monkey” in Spanish – at the winger of Afro-Brazilian descent.

The occurrence of such abuse has been added to the referee’s match report, and Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti ripped into La Liga by saying that it has a “problem” with racism.

“What we saw today is unacceptable. An entire stadium chanting racist slurs,” Ancelotti told Spanish broadcaster Movistar Plus.

“I don’t want to talk about football today, there is no meaning in talking about football today. I told the referee he should have stopped the match.

“La Liga has a problem. For me Vinicius is the most important player in the world. La Liga has a problem, these episodes of racism have to stop the match,” the Italian demanded.

“It’s the entire stadium that is insulting a player with racist chants and the match has to stop. I would say the same if we were winning 3-0, there is no other way.”

Never one to shy away from confrontation on the pitch or off it, Vinicius later took to his social media accounts to declare that “racism is normal in La Liga” and that the championship which once belonged to former FC Barcelona stars Ronaldinho, Lionel Messi, Ronaldo and Madrid legend Cristiano Ronaldo now “belongs to racists”.

Noting that he is strong and “will go to the end against the racists”, Vinicius added that he will do so “even if far from here” in a remark that some have taken as a nod he could move on when his contract expires in 2024.

At ESPN Brasil, they report that the player has reached his “limit” in Spain, which is more than understandable.

In the same statement, Vinicius, though criticizing Spain for agreeing “to export the image of a racist country to the world”, showed his gratitude to a “beautiful nation” which welcomed him as an 18-year-old joining from Flamengo and one which he loves.

Spanish radio station COPE has reported that two Valencia fans have already been identified by their club and La Liga for racially insulting Vinicius and will be brought before a court on Monday for alleged hate crimes.

With La Liga reporting that Vinicius has received racial abuse to local courts on nine other occasions this season alone, it begs the question as to how much more the youngster can take in the Spanish top flight.

At the Mestella, Vinicius was heard saying “I don’t want to play anymore” according to MARCA. In what would be a great loss to Spanish football on the whole, though, that might end up being a general rule of thumb across the country after similar incidents at Espanyol, Girona, Mallorca and Osasuna while Atletico Madrid ultras hung an effigy of him from a bridge.

Adding insult to injury, La Liga president Javier Tebas laid into the Rio native on Twitter and blasted him for “criticizing and insulting” the league while also claiming that he failed to show for talks Vinicius requested on two occasions.

Winning every trophy on offer at the Bernabeu in just under four years, Vinicius has nothing left to prove in Spain. The fifth could be his last with Los Blancos, as this latest racism storm pushes him to pursue a fresh start elsewhere in the European elite when he becomes a free agent in roughly 13 months’ time.