Vinicius Jr saga continues after angry reaction to Alonso substitution

The rift between Vinícius and Xabi Alonso surfaced publicly in Real Madrid’s win over Espanyol at the Bernabéu, with a more than telling episode.

Although Vini regained the starting spot he had lost last Tuesday against Marseille in the Champions League—when he was substituted for Rodrygo in the 77th minute—there was still drama.

At least theatrically. When he saw his number appear on the substitution board, he hurled the water bottle he had been drinking from onto the touchline and raised his arms in open protest at being taken off.

Xabi’s pre-match hint that “something was going on” with Vinícius played out in full view of the 73,000 spectators in the stadium and the television cameras.

Vini trudged to the bench with visible frustration—the same frustration he had carried throughout the match. The ever-smiling Vini was nowhere to be seen this time.

This episode is no minor detail, especially given the tense backdrop of stalled negotiations over his contract renewal, as reported by AS. In the build-up, Xabi himself admitted it was “not the right time to talk about Vinícius.”

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Yet this clash with Espanyol, which should have been a chance for the Brazilian to find relief, only underscored how complicated his situation is becoming with every passing game.

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