Following Barcelona’s impressive 4-0 victory over Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu, the match was overshadowed by a racist incident involving some fans in the stadium. Brazilian forward Vinicius Jr., known for his strong stance against racism, expressed his disapproval and condemned the actions of those involved. Taking to social media, Vinicius Jr. voiced his support for Barcelona players Lamine Yamal, Ansu Fati, and Raphinha, who were subjected to racist insults during the match.
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| Vini Jr (Black Lives matters) |
“It’s regrettable what happened yesterday at the Bernabeu with racist insults,” Vinicius wrote. “There is no place for these criminals in our society. All my support to Lamine, Ansu, and Raphinha. I know that Madrid and the police will do things to identify and punish the guilty.”
Vinicius, a favorite to win the Ballon d’Or, faced a last-minute disappointment when the prestigious award went to Manchester City’s Rodri instead. In solidarity with Vinicius, the Real Madrid delegation chose not to attend the ceremony in Paris.
Barcelona's Raphinha also acknowledged Vinicius Jr.'s continued fight against racism and expressed empathy. “I understand when Vinicius Jr. is sad about the racist chants. These kinds of things push people to the limit,” Raphinha said. “Vini is always happy, always joking… but the only topic making him serious is racism. I can understand Vini.”
Both clubs and players are calling for strict actions against racism to ensure a safer and more inclusive environment in football.