For the second time in just over a week, a significant section of the Real Madrid fanbase has directed its frustration towards star forward Vinicius Junior. The latest incident occurred during the team’s 2-2 La Liga draw with Valencia on March 2, 2024, at the Mestalla.
The match itself was a dramatic affair. Valencia took a 2-0 lead into halftime with goals from Hugo Duro in the 27th minute and Roman Yaremchuk in the 30th. Real Madrid mounted a fierce comeback in the second half, with Vinicius pulling a goal back in the 50th minute and setting up Jude Bellingham for a 76th-minute equalizer. Bellingham’s last-gasp winner was controversially disallowed after the final whistle had blown.
However, the Brazilian’s on-field contribution was overshadowed by the reaction from segments of the Madrid support. Throughout the match, chants of “Vinicius, die!” were clearly audible from the visiting fans’ section. This follows similar abusive chants heard during Madrid’s Champions League victory over RB Leipzig on February 13, 2024.
The club has yet to issue an official statement regarding this latest episode. The repeated targeting of the 23-year-old by his own supporters marks a severe and unexpected rupture in the relationship between the player and a vocal minority of the fanbase.
Vinicius, whose current contract runs until June 2027, has been a pivotal figure for Carlo Ancelotti’s side. He was instrumental in their La Liga and Champions League double in 2022 and played a key role in their Copa del Rey triumph in 2023. Despite this, the whistles and hostile chants have now become a persistent soundtrack to his performances.
This growing discontent reportedly stems from the perception of inconsistent performances and a belief that the player’s focus has wavered. With the club already planning for the 2024/2025 season and targeting major signings like Kylian Mbappe and Alphonso Davies, Vinicius’s long-term future at the Santiago Bernabeu appears suddenly uncertain.
