La Liga now belongs to ‘Racists’ — Vinicius Junior

Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior has strongly criticized La Liga and responded to alleged racist abuse he endured during the league fixture against Valencia.

The game between Valencia and Real on Sunday was overshadowed by reports of racism aimed at Vinicius Junior.

The Brazilian forward was allegedly subjected to racial abuse as Real Madrid suffered a 1-0 defeat at the Mestalla Stadium. Furthermore, he did not complete the match due to receiving a red card in stoppage time after an altercation with Hugo Duro. As he left the field, Vinicius Jr taunted Valencia fans, indicating their potential relegation to the second division.

Following the match, the 22-year-old, who has faced hostility from rival fans throughout the season, took to social media to express his thoughts on the abuse he experienced.

In an Instagram post, he directed his criticism at La Liga, writing, “The racists’ prize was my red card. This isn’t football, it’s La Liga.”

Vinicius Junior further shared a powerful message on Twitter, referencing former La Liga superstars Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Ronaldo, and Ronaldinho.

“It wasn’t the first time, nor the second, nor the third. Racism is normal in La Liga,” he tweeted. “The competition thinks it’s normal, the Federation does too, and the opponents encourage it. I’m so sorry. The championship that once belonged to Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Cristiano, and Messi today belongs to racists.”

He continued, expressing his disappointment in the current state of affairs, stating,

“A beautiful nation, which welcomed me and which I love, but which agreed to export the image of a racist country to the world. I’m sorry for the Spaniards who don’t agree, but today, in Brazil, Spain is known as a country of racists. And unfortunately, for everything that happens each week, I have no defense. I agree. But I am strong and I will go to the end against racists. Even if far from here.”

According to reports in Spain, this incident marks the tenth racial abuse incident the young forward has faced this season.

Veteran manager Carlo Ancelotti also criticized the league, suggesting he would consider taking his players off the pitch if the game is not halted in such instances.

“If a whole stadium calls a player ‘monkey’, we have to stop the game. I said this to the referee,” Ancelotti stated. “We have been complaining about this abuse all season and nothing! It has reached the point where the manager must consider taking off his player because the game is not being stopped. There is something wrong with this league if this happens.”

Rio Ferdinand, former Manchester United player, voiced his concerns as well, calling on some of the biggest names in the sport to take action.

Ferdinand took to Instagram, posting, “Bro you need protecting….who is protecting @vinijr in Spain??” He tagged prominent players including Kylian Mbappe, Paul Pogba, Neymar, and Jude Bellingham, among others.

“He receives a red card after being choked and receiving racial abuse during the game…wtf,” Ferdinand expressed. “How many times do we need to see this young man subjected to this shit?? I see pain, I see disgust, I see him needing help…and the authorities don’t do shit to help him. People need to stand together and demand more from the authorities that run our game.”

The Manchester United legend concluded, emphasizing the importance of unified action, stating, “No one deserves this, yet you are allowing it. There needs to be a unified approach to this; otherwise, it will be swept under the carpet AGAIN.”

The incident involving Vinicius Junior highlights the ongoing issue of racism in football and underscores the need for robust measures to combat and eradicate such behavior within the sport.