Overview
- Vinicius Jr issued a public apology to fans, teammates, the club and president Florentino Pérez for his reaction to being substituted, attributing it to passion.
- Real Madrid has decided against a fine or formal club punishment and has left any sporting response to Xabi Alonso after a private post-match conversation was reported.
- Spanish outlets report the player–coach relationship is strained, with Cadena SER describing “no relationship,” tracing tensions back to plans to drop Vinicius at the Club World Cup.
- Contract talks stalled over the player’s wage demands, but multiple reports say Madrid still plan to reopen negotiations at season’s end as Vinicius weighs a possible 2026 summer exit if nothing changes.
- During the 72nd‑minute substitution in El Clásico, Vinicius was caught saying he would leave the team, later returned to the bench, and was booked in the post‑match fracas.