Brazilian star Vinícius Jr. explicitly threatened to leave Real Madrid following his substitution during a crucial ‘El Clásico’ victory, signaling potential internal friction despite the team’s success.
The incident occurred in the 72nd minute of Real Madrid’s 2-1 win over Barcelona when manager Xabi Alonso replaced Vinícius Jr. with Rodrygo. Visibly irritated, the forward uttered an expletive and stated, “Always me. I’m leaving the team,” remarks believed to have been clearly audible to the coaching staff.
His frustrated comments highlight a challenging moment for the club, even as they secured a significant win against their arch-rivals. After the substitution, Vinícius Jr. headed directly to the locker room rather than the bench.
The words of Vini after being substituted. “Always me. I’m leaving the team”#DAZNLALIGA
— DAZN Portugal (@DAZNPortugal) October 26, 2025