Vinícius Jr.-Alonso Relationship Strained After Substitution Spat

Madrid ∙ Tensions are reportedly escalating in the Real Madrid camp following Sunday’s El Clásico victory, with the relationship between star forward Vinícius Júnior and coach Xabi Alonso taking a turn for the worse, sources told ESPN. The strain follows the forward’s visibly angry reaction to being substituted during the decisive match.

The flashpoint occurred in the 72nd minute at the Santiago Bernabéu. With Madrid leading 2-1, Alonso opted to replace Vinícius with Rodrygo. The Brazilian reacted with clear frustration, questioning the decision before immediately heading down the tunnel.

Deteriorating Relationship and Stalled Contract Talks

This latest incident comes amid a season where the coach has notably excluded Vinícius from the starting lineup three times. Vinícius’ camp had previously expressed concerns that the coach was not a fan of the player, fueling the underlying tension.

Sources indicate that while the relationship is not completely broken, it has been significantly damaged. Furthermore, new contract talks for the Brazilian international, whose current deal runs until 2027, have reportedly stalled in recent months.

Vinícius is planning to discuss the situation with his Real Madrid teammates before scheduling a face-to-face meeting with Alonso. Following the El Clásico win, the players were given two days of rest and are set to return to training on Wednesday, which is when the meeting is expected to take place.

Alonso Confirms Future Discussion

During the postgame news conference on Sunday, Xabi Alonso confirmed his intention to address Vinícius’ emotional reaction.

“I’ll focus on a lot of the positive things in the game, and good things from Viní,” Alonso stated. “We’ll talk about [Viní’s reaction] of course, but I don’t want to move the spotlight away from what’s really important.”

Vinícius has been a key contributor this season, scoring five goals and providing four assists in LaLiga. However, he was conspicuously left out of the starting XI in three previous matches—against Real Oviedo and Getafe in LaLiga, and against Marseille in the Champions League.

Despite the internal issues, Madrid’s victory over Barcelona leaves them five points clear at the top of the LaLiga table.