Real Madrid legend Toni Kroos believes Vinicius Junior’s anger when he was substituted in El Clásico was justified, noting that coach Xabi Alonso likely won’t punish the Brazilian star.
Vinicius directed angry words at Alonso when Rodrygo replaced him in the 72nd minute and stormed out to the locker room. He then returned to the bench, angry, and was calmed by his teammates.
Commenting on these events, Kroos said, “When a player puts in an exceptional performance in matches like El Clásico, he doesn’t feel happy when he’s taken off the field.”
He added, “To be fair, Vinicius shouldn’t have gone to the locker room, but we, who follow matches from the stands or on TV, can’t judge everything he said as he left.”
He added, “Vinicius’s talk of leaving was just a way to vent his anger, and no one would truly wish to be in his place, because, in short, he did everything against Barcelona. But we have to give him time. I’ve experienced similar situations before, and I know what he’s thinking.”
As for his expectations for what Alonso will do, he said, “He won’t pay any attention to what happened, and everything Vinicius said ended with the final whistle of El Clásico.”
He concluded, “The media, the fans, and even the critics shouldn’t take what he said and his threat to leave seriously. From my experience, a coach who was a player doesn’t do anything against any player on his team.”
Spanish media outlets reported Real Madrid officials’ anger over the incident, but Vinicius will not be subject to any administrative action, pending Alonso’s decision upon his return to training on Wednesday.
