This Wednesday, 72 hours after leaving the field in the middle of the Clasico in a rage, Vinicius Junior published a message of apology on his accounts. Recipients: supporters, partners, management, Florentino Pérez. Missing from the list: Xabi Alonso, the man he insulted in front of millions of viewers.
Vinicius' excuses which question
Seventy-second minute at the Santiago Bernabéu. Real dominates Barcelona 2-1 when Alonso decides to take Vinicius out. Immediate reaction from the Brazilian: arms raised, incredulous look. ” Me ? Still me! » he shouts before releasing several insults directly to the Basque technician. Direction: locker rooms, without even a glance at the staff.
The coach doesn't see it that way. He dispatches his deputy Luis Llopis with a firm instruction: bring him back, and make it clear to him that he risks spending a lot of time on the bench if he does not reappear. A few minutes later, Vinicius returns to his place, face closed.
An incomplete mea culpa
The press release published Wednesday visibly seeks to put out the fire. “ Sometimes passion takes over,”
justifies number 7. He talks about his “love for this club” and promises to “continue to fight every second for Real”. Classic formula, measured tone.
Except that one name is conspicuous by its total absence: that of Xabi Alonso. Neither direct mention nor indirect allusion. This deliberate evasion has not escaped anyone in Spain. Marca, AS, all the Madrid media immediately highlighted it as proof that the personal dispute remains unresolved.
However, a few hours before the publication of the text, the two protagonists crossed paths in training. Forced hug, discussion qualified as
“cordial” by AS. But clearly, this surface reconciliation is not enough to erase the accumulated grievances.
A climate already degraded since July
The affair does not date from yesterday. Since the Club World Cup last July, Vinicius has been chomping at the bit. Out of ten starts this season, he has only completed three matches. A rotation which deeply hurts him, he who was untouchable under Carlo Ancelotti.
Those around him openly criticize Alonso for this lack of consideration and communication deemed non-existent. The Madrid management firmly supports its technician and expects more maturity from the third captain. Florentino Pérez would also have had a very bad experience with the image sent back on Sunday.
Forgiveness, really?
So, fault admitted, fault forgiven? Not so simple. Vinicius did the bare minimum to calm the media heat. The club chose not to sanction, favoring internal management. But by refusing to explicitly name Alonso in his apology, the Brazilian is sending a clear signal: the page is not turned.
Between the Peace of the Brave and the Cold War, the current situation looks more like a fragile ceasefire. The real test will come in the next matches, when Alonso will have to manage his playing time again. Until then, everyone plays their part: the coach maintains his authority, the player keeps up appearances. But the damage is done, and the words spoken on Sunday will stick in your throat for a long time.
