Vinicius Jokingly Taunts Barcelona with Amusing Post Following Ancelotti’s Assistance Off the Pitch
Vinicius Jr. experienced a dramatic Clasico victory over Barcelona, where the Brazilian winger ultimately had the last word. While the spotlight was largely on his new teammate, Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Jr. managed to make his mark.
Having previously been a thorn in Barcelona’s side with a goal and assist in a 4-0 Copa del Rey semi-final triumph last season, Vinicius Jr. faced a different scenario this time at the Olimpic Stadium.
Nevertheless, the match saw a series of heated touchline encounters involving him and Barcelona’s manager, Xavi. The first such incident occurred when Real Madrid was trailing due to Ilkay Gundogan’s goal. Vinicius Jr. was brought down by Gavi, and Barcelona came close to scoring again through Joao Felix in the 25th minute.
Vinicius Jr. appeared visibly frustrated, believing that a foul had occurred in the lead-up to the chance. Xavi’s words seemed to agitate him, prompting a face-to-face confrontation. Thankfully, the situation did not escalate, as Xavi chose a rather gentle gesture – a slight slap on the cheek.
Twenty minutes later, in first-half stoppage time, Vinicius Jr. once again found himself in the vicinity of Xavi’s technical area and was pushed into it by Ferran Torres. They ended up in a tussle right in front of Xavi, who continued to exchange words with his adversary, seemingly deriving satisfaction from Barcelona’s dominant first half.
However, the game’s dynamics took a turn with Bellingham’s performance. When Vinicius Jr. was substituted, there was further tension. He took his time leaving the pitch, and his compatriot Raphinha attempted to hurry him off. Yet, it was Carlo Ancelotti, Real Madrid’s manager, who intervened. Ancelotti took Vinicius Jr. by the arm, guiding him off the field and into the tunnel.
That marked the end of Vinicius Jr.’s participation in the match, at least on the pitch.
Shortly after this significant victory, which propelled Real Madrid four points clear of third-placed Barcelona, Vinicius Jr. took to social media. He posted an image from the post-match celebrations with Bellingham, accompanied by the caption ‘New era.’ While this may not seem particularly provocative at first glance, it likely alluded to Barcelona’s 2022 documentary of the same title, subtly suggesting that Real Madrid perceives itself as the harbinger of the forthcoming era of La Liga supremacy.