Real Madrid winger Vinícius Jr. has publicly apologised for his reaction to being substituted by Xabi Alonso during Sunday’s heated El Clásico clash against Barcelona, a match which ended 2–1 in Real’s favour.
In the match, Kylian Mbappé opened the scoring for Real Madrid, and Jude Bellingham added a second before Barcelona’s Fermín López pulled one back late in the contest.
In a statement posted on social media, Vinícius expressed regret for his behaviour and confirmed that he had already apologised to his teammates during training. He also extended his apology to the club and its president, though he did not mention the coach by name.
“Today I want to apologise to all Real Madrid fans for my reaction when I was substituted in El Clásico,” he wrote. “As I have already done in person during today’s training session, I also want to apologise again to my teammates, the club and the president. Sometimes passion gets the better of me because I always want to win and help my team. My competitive nature stems from the love I feel for this club and everything it represents.”
Vinícius was substituted in the 71st minute (some sources place it in the 72nd) and replaced by Rodrygo, despite having played a key role in destabilising Barcelona’s defense—especially in his duels with right-back Jules Koundé. During his substitution, he reportedly showed frustration toward Alonso before heading directly to the dressing room.
According to Spanish media, Real Madrid accepted the apology even though Vinícius omitted Alonso’s name, viewing it as a mature response and a sign of personal responsibility. That said, speculation persists over tension between the player and his coach, particularly in light of Vinícius’s frequent substitutions this season despite strong attacking displays.
Moreover, late in the match, a scuffle broke out following the red card shown to Pedri, prompting Vinícius to reemerge from the dressing room and become involved before being pulled away.
With Real currently leading the La Liga standings, attention now shifts to whether Alonso will reinstate Vinícius in the starting lineup in upcoming fixtures.
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