Vinicius Jr's words on the bench after being substituted revealed – Real Madrid is not intervening

Real Madrid's 2-1 victory over Barcelona in El Clasico at the weekend was accompanied by tensions off the pitch, as Vinicius Junior's frustration has grown.

The 25-year-old Brazilian winger was visibly irritated in the 72nd minute, when coach Xabi Alonso decided to replace him with Rodrygo, at a point when Real Madrid had taken the lead.

According to television footage, Vinicius immediately reacted with surprise and anger, asking “Me?!” and calling out to Alonso as he left the pitch.

He was seen telling the coach irritably, “Come on, Vini, for fuck's sake…”, while later, on the bench, he exploded at assistant coach Sebas Parilla: “Always me. I'd better leave, I'm leaving the team,” Vini Jr said.

According to The Athletic, the relationship between Alonso and Vinicius has been tense since July, when the Spanish coach changed the player's position during the Club World Cup, a decision the Brazilian did not take well. His camp is said to have warned that “the season will not be easy” as early as August.

This season, Vinicius has completed only three of the ten matches in which he has started and has not started three of Real Madrid's thirteen matches overall. Sources close to the player describe the situation as “repeated frustration,” as he feels undervalued relative to his impact on the pitch.

The incident did not end with his substitution. After the final whistle, Vinicius was involved in a confrontation near the touchline with several Barcelona players, especially 18-year-old Lamine Yamal, with whom he had exchanged heated remarks before the match as well.

However, after the match, the Brazilian chose a calmer tone in his interview with Real Madrid TV. “That's what El Clasico is like; there's a lot going on on and off the pitch. We try to maintain our balance, but that's not always possible. We don't want to offend anyone, neither Barcelona's players nor the fans,” Vini Jr said.

According to sources cited by The Athletic, the tensions with Alonso are purely a technical matter, and the club has not intervened in the coach's decisions.

However, the situation remains delicate, while negotiations to renew Vinicius's contract are frozen. His current contract with Real Madrid expires in 2027