Vinicius Junior has confirmed that he did not see eye to eye with Xabi Alonso during the latter’s spell in charge at Real Madrid, despite earlier attempts to downplay tensions between the pair.
The Brazilian forward was at the center of a public incident during El Clasico in October, when Alonso substituted him while Real Madrid were leading 2-1. Frustrated, Vinicius walked off the pitch visibly angry, reportedly saying, “Always me, I’m better off leaving [the club].” The moment has since been widely viewed as a turning point in Alonso’s tenure, marking the beginning of strained relations within the squad.
Speaking ahead of Real Madrid’s upcoming clash with Bayern Munich, Vinicius acknowledged the difficulties in his relationship with the former manager.
“I played matches, but not many minutes. Every coach has their own methods, and I didn’t connect with him the way he wanted. But it was a learning experience,” Vinicius said. “I hope I can continue playing under Arbeloa, as I have a wonderful connection with him and he’s always given me confidence.”
Reflecting on the El Clasico incident, Vinicius admitted he was at fault for his reaction.
“It wasn’t a nice moment, and I apologised to everyone. I like to play every game, and I didn’t come off in any of them. Later, with a clear head, you can understand that you made a mistake,” he explained. “I’m young, and every day is a new experience where you can improve.”
The 25-year-old also expressed strong support for current manager Alvaro Arbeloa, under whom he appears to have rediscovered his form. Vinicius confirmed his intention to renew his contract with the club and highlighted the positive relationship he shares with the coach.
“I’ve had a special connection with Arbeloa, just like I did with Ancelotti. He’s always made it clear what he wants from me. I’ve always given my best, and I’ll continue to do so,” he said. “I don’t think I’ve ever gone this long without scoring a goal. I’ve learned from this rough patch, and I want to keep learning. The best players always bounce back.”
Looking ahead to the Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich, Vinicius emphasized the importance of fan support, especially after a disappointing 2-1 defeat to Mallorca that left Real Madrid trailing Barcelona by seven points in the title race.
“Undoubtedly, the connection between the players and the fans is key; that always changes the dynamic of home games and Champions League matches,” he said. “A good team is coming, but we have experience in these kinds of matches and hopefully we can do things right.”
Addressing the Mallorca loss, Vinicius echoed Arbeloa’s comments about the team’s lack of focus.
“There are good days and bad days; some days we’re more or less focused, and that’s what happened in Mallorca,” he said. “We were coming off the break, and as the manager said, if you’re not at 200%, you don’t win matches.”
Despite a difficult first half of the season, Vinicius has recently hit form under Arbeloa, registering 10 goal contributions in his last 10 matches, including decisive performances against Atletico Madrid and Manchester City.