Spanish media reported on Tuesday that the future of the coexistence between the Brazilian international winger and the Spanish coach appears to be seriously threatened.
Real Madrid enjoyed a long-awaited El Clásico on Sunday, defeating their traditional rivals Barcelona 2-1. This ended a run of four consecutive defeats to the Catalan club in all competitions, cementing their position at the top of La Liga, five points ahead of their arch-rivals.
This success was built in an extremely tense context. In addition to the fierce battle between the two teams on the pitch, the pre-match statements of Barcelona player Lamine Jamal further fueled the fire, with the young Spanish star engaging in an altercation with Vinicius Junior at the final whistle.
In terms of his performance on the pitch, Vinicius was undoubtedly among the best players in Sunday's Clasico, and in fact, the talented winger (25 years old) put in a wonderful performance in line with his excellent start to the season, silencing his critics.
However, Vinicius' relationship with Alonso remains fragile, as evidenced by his 72nd-minute substitution in the Clásico against Barcelona, where he was replaced by his compatriot Rodrygo. Real Madrid's No. 7 was not pleased with the change and informed his coach.
Vinicius refused to shake Alonso's hand and headed straight to the dressing room, where Foot Mercato reported that he said: "I'm going to hell. I'm leaving this team." Xabi Alonso responded, in a state of extreme anger: "Come on, Vinicius, go to hell."
Following this verbal exchange, Cadena Ser radio indicated that the Spanish coach may impose a penalty on Vinicius, adding that Real Madrid's management would support this decision.
The station noted that this dispute clearly demonstrates the extent of the breakdown in dialogue between the two men, confirming that Vinicius dislikes the way the former Bayer Leverkusen coach treated him.
Early Tuesday morning, several Spanish media outlets sounded the alarm, with programs El Larguero and El Chiringuito asserting that if the situation persists, Vinicius will no longer be at Real Madrid, adding that the Brazilian's confidence in his coach has evaporated.
According to Spanish media, Xabi Alonso congratulated all his players after the match, including Vinicius, but the problem appears to be deeper. Under a contract until 2027, the player is unlikely to extend his contract if things do not change.
Vinicius is demanding more money from Real Madrid officials and now believes he deserves more respect from his coach.
Real Madrid must address this tense situation head-on in the coming months, with Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo stressing that there is no doubt the duo have reached the point of no return.
