Vinicius Junior admits El Clasico mistake

Vinicius Junior has openly reflected on his angry reaction to being substituted in an El Clasico earlier this season, admitting he went too far in the heat of the moment.

The Real Madrid winger cut a frustrated figure as he left the pitch and later recognised he had crossed the line with his behaviour.

“It wasn’t a very nice moment,” Vinicius said. “I apologised to the team, to the club, and to the coach and everyone that was there at that moment. I apologised to the fans as well; it was a complicated moment. I play all the games, and I never want to come off.”

He explained that his intense competitiveness can make it hard to accept substitutions, especially in high-stakes matches like El Clasico, but stressed the need to keep his emotions under control. “Afterwards, with a calm head, I understood I’d made a mistake. That happens, I’m young, I’m only 25, but I have a lot of experience.”

“Every day is a new experience where you can improve, and I think I am improving in this aspect, and I want to continue improving so that every day I am an example for kids and others,” he added, underlining his desire to learn from the episode and set a better standard going forward.