Vinicius Jr reacts as Real Madrid close in on Barcelona after El Clasico win

Vinicius Jr appeared to mock Barcelona after Real Madrid’s 2-1 victory at Spotify Camp Nou, a result which reduced the gap between the two sides at the top of La Liga to three points.

The Brazil forward, who missed the match through suspension, shared the result on his personal Instagram account after Real Madrid secured a valuable victory over their Catalan rivals.

Vinicius posted three laughing emojis, a reaction interpreted as a jibe at predictions that Barcelona would come out on top in the eagerly anticipated fixture.

He was watching from outside the stadium as Real Madrid claimed the points without him. The 4-match suspension was imposed after what was described as aggressive behaviour towards Nathan Saliba during Real Madrid’s meeting with Villarreal on Saturday, 10 October.

The result gave Real Madrid an important boost, with Kylian Mbappe scoring the decisive goal in the 87th minute. Real Madrid had taken the lead in the first half before Raphinha brought Barcelona level in the 61st minute.

Barcelona’s defeat was their second in the space of a week, following their loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.

Competition for Vinicius

The performance of Yan Diomande could increase competition for a place on the wing when Vinicius returns, raising questions over how he will be used by Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho.

Vinicius has two more matches of his suspension to serve before he is eligible to play for Real Madrid again.

The emergence of Diomande may leave Mourinho deciding whether to restore Vinicius immediately to the starting line-up or use him as an option from the bench to influence matches later on.

Real Madrid’s victory moved them closer to leaders Barcelona, who remain three points ahead in the La Liga standings.