Real Madrid may have secured another important victory over Kairat Almaty, but the spotlight once again fell on Vinicius Jr. after the Brazilian showed visible frustration on the pitch. Substituted b...
Real Madrid may have secured another important victory over Kairat Almaty, but the spotlight once again fell on Vinicius Jr. after the Brazilian showed visible frustration on the pitch.
Substituted by Xabi Alonso during the second half, the winger stormed off in clear anger – but this time his outburst was not directed at the manager’s decision.
Instead, it came after a key moment involving rising star Franco Mastantuono.
What’s the story?
According to AS, the turning point arrived midway through the second half. With Madrid already in control, Kylian Mbappe slipped a clever pass into Mastantuono inside the opposition’s box.
The young Argentine found himself with space but chose to shoot with his right foot rather than square the ball across to Vinicius, who was unmarked and in a perfect position to score.
The goalkeeper managed to save the shot, and the chance was wasted.
Vinicius was not happy with Franco Mastantuono. (Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)
Vinicius, visibly furious, immediately voiced his frustration at his teammate. He gestured on the pitch, making it clear that the ball should have been played to him.
His anger continued to build during the following minutes, and by the time Alonso decided to substitute him, the Brazilian could not hide his emotions.
Cameras caught him pointing towards the pitch as he exchanged words with his manager on the touchline before heading to the bench in disappointment.
After the game, Alonso addressed the situation in his press conference and downplayed the incident.
“It wasn’t a complaint. What Vini said was a comment that we understood. It’s always the coach’s fault,” the Madrid boss joked, suggesting there was no deeper problem between player and manager.
Still, this episode adds to what has been a frustrating start to the season for Vinicius. Despite his unquestionable importance in attack, Vinicius is yet to hit the ground running this season.
Category: General Sports