After days of controversy, the Brazilian samba appeared on Sunday in the field of the Metropolitan.
Rodrygo and Vinícius Júnior did not think twice after Real Madrid opened the scoring in the derby in the Spanish capital.
The pair of Brazilian strikers gathered at one of the corner kick flags and began to dance near the Atlético de Madrid fans.
Rodrygo had pierced the nets to guide Madrid to a 2-1 victory over Atlético de Madrid, with which the white team maintained the perfect pace in the Spanish league and the season.
It was the third league duel in a row in which Rodrygo signed a goal. He did it by hitting a great float pass from midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni with his right foot on his arrival in the area in the 18th minute.
“Dance wherever you want,” Vinicius wrote on Twitter in a message to Rodrygo after the game, adding a photo of the goal celebration.
The days before the match were marked by Vinicius being questioned for doing dances to celebrate his goals. Vinicius, who is black, criticized racist language used by a commentator on a sports talk show about his dancing. The 22-year-old Brazilian striker complained that “they began to criminalize my dances” and that he would not stop expressing his joy on the pitch.
“It was a different game. The derbies are important, but today was different because of what happened this week”, said Rodrygo. “We have responded within the field. I’m happy to play well and have scored”.
Rodrygo was once again lethal in the attacking zone as a replacement for star Karim Benzema, absent for the last two matchdays due to a right leg injury.
Madrid was very solvent on offense despite the absence of Benzema. In the lower half he once again controlled his rival, who had his greatest threat in Antoine Griezmann with a header that went over the goal and a shot that Thibaut Courtois deflected during the first half
Federico Valverde also put together his third duel in all competitions as a scorer. The Uruguayan benefited in the 36th minute from a rebound off the post from a shot by Vinicius, who hit his area at the other post to extend the lead before the break.
Mario Hermoso gave the rojiblancos hope by sending a shot into the net with his shoulder after a corner kick in the 83rd minute, in what was the first action on goal by any of the teams in the complement.
Hermoso saw two yellow cards in a span of two minutes in the final leg to leave the hosts with 10 during compensation.
With its sixth victory in the championship, Madrid remains at the top of the standings with 18 units, two above Barcelona, which on Saturday resolved its duel for the sixth date with a 3-0 win against Elche.
The meringues maintain their immaculate pace in the season with nine victories in all competitions (European Super Cup, two Champions League duels and six in the League) to continue in pursuit of the best start in white history, after in the campaigns of 1961-62 and 1968-69 achieved 11 starting wins under the command of Miguel Muñoz.