
Vinicius Junior has apologised to his Real Madrid teammates, manager Xabi Alonso, and club president Florentino Perez following his angry reaction during Sunday’s 2-1 win against Barcelona.
The Brazilian winger was visibly upset after being substituted in the 72nd minute and stormed down the tunnel at the Santiago Bernabeu before returning to the bench. After the final whistle, he was involved in a brief confrontation between players from both teams.
Reports suggest that tensions between Vinicius and Alonso grew after the incident, but the 25-year-old has now publicly apologised for his behaviour.
“Today I want to apologise to all Madrid fans for my reaction to being substituted in El Clasico,” Vinicius said in a statement. “Just as I already apologised in person during training today, I also want to apologise again to my teammates, the club, and the president.”
He added, “Sometimes my passion gets the better of me; I always want to win and help my team. My competitive nature comes from the love I have for this club and everything it represents. I promise to keep fighting for Real Madrid every second, just as I have since day one.”
Real Madrid’s victory keeps them five points clear at the top of La Liga as they continue their push for the title.