We thought everything was back to normal. After his childish behavior during the Clásico against Barça at the end of October, Vinicius Jr presented his public and private apologies. Xabi Alonso, during his last media outings, had made soothing remarks. The Brazilian had been reinstated in the group. The case seemed closed. But this apparent calm was only a facade. In reality, Vinicius’ behavior during the Clásico did not go well at all. And today, a radical decision was taken against him. A decision that changes everything for the player’s future at Real Madrid.
The point of no return for Haaland?
Real Madrid decided to sell Vinicius Jr in the summer of 2026. According to Sport Bild, the decision was validated internally after the Clásico, where the Brazilian reacted violently to his replacement by Xabi Alonso. Despite his apologies, the relationship between the player and the club is considered irreparable. Florentino PĂ©rez, who had always defended Vinicius, this time turned his back on his former star. The president sent a clear message: no player is bigger than the club. Real still plans to temporarily extend Vinicius’ contract to maintain his market value. Objective: recover 150 million euros when it is sold.
The final trigger came in the 4-0 win over Valencia. Vinicius had disobeyed the team’s instructions by insisting on taking a penalty intended for Kylian MbappĂ©. He missed it. Xabi Alonso later admitted that “it bothered me”, before replacing him again. For PĂ©rez, this repeated defiance and lack of discipline was the last straw. But what really made the situation worse was an article published in The Athletic on the same day as Vinicius’ apology. The article criticized Alonso’s leadership and cited an anonymous source close to the team as saying that Alonso “thinks he’s Pep Guardiola, but at the moment he’s just Xabi.” An article clearly linked to Vinicius’ entourage, which enraged management.
Haaland already targeted as replacement
Real Madrid are already thinking about the post-Vinicius era. Erling Haaland is the absolute dream if the Brazilian leaves. The Norwegian has scored 17 goals in 13 games in all competitions this season with Manchester City. According to journalist Jorge Picon, Haaland “would really like to play for Real Madrid” and a release clause in his contract could facilitate his departure. Real are closely monitoring developments in Manchester. If Vinicius is sold, Haaland could become the Madrid club’s top priority to replace the Brazilian.
Vinicius Jr continues to play for Real Madrid. He remains an important element of the attack, even if the arrival in form of Kylian Mbappé has reduced his central role. But the relationship between the player, Xabi Alonso and Florentino Pérez remains tense beneath the surface. Real face Liverpool at Anfield this Tuesday in the Champions League. A crucial test to test the unity of the locker room. But the decision is made: Vinicius Jr will leave Real Madrid in 2026. No, he has not been forgiven.
