"Don't insult and don't belittle colleagues in the profession" - La Liga defender accuses Real Madrid attacker Vinicius Jr of using racism as a 'joker'
RCD Mallorca defender Antonio Raillo had a message for Real Madrid attacker Vinicius Jr. regarding the Brazilian star's celebration.
Los Blancos earned a 4-1 win against RCD Mallorca on September 11. Vinicius Jr. bagged the second goal for Madrid and celebrated by dancing, which infuriated his opponents.
Pedro Bravo, the president of Spanish Agents, arrived at the TV show "El Chiringuito" shortly afterward and termed the Brazilian's moves as "playing the monkey." The comments drew widespread reactions, with footballers coming in support of Vinicius.
Raillo said that he didn't have any problems with Vinicius' celebration. However, the Mallorca captain stated that the Real Madrid attacker shouldn't disrespect his opponents and colleagues.
Here's what he said in an interview with "Diario de Mallorca:"
"Vinicius dance, but don't be disrespectful, don't insult and don't belittle your fellow professionals. When he's called a provocateur, he uses the joker of racism". (h/t sbt.com)
Mallorca defender Toni Raillo on Vinicius Junior:
"Vinicius can dance but don't foul, don't insult and don't belittle colleagues in the profession; then when he gets called a provocateur, he uses racism as a joker." https://t.co/gzXVJajhvx
Vinicius has been a crucial cog in Los Blancos' wheel since his arrival at the club in 2018. He scored the winner against Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League final last season.
The Brazilian has been in superb form this season as well, scoring five goals and providing four assists in nine games across all competitions. Since his arrival in Spain, the youngster has scored 41 goals and provided 47 assists in 179 games.
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has previously defended Vinicius Jr.
Amidst criticisms of Vinicius Jr. after Real Madrid defeated RCD Mallorca, Carlo Ancelotti came to the defense of his attacker. He acknowledged that referees and opponents should be respected. However, he believes the Brazilian already has those characteristics.
Here's what Ancelotti said:
"The referee, first of all, has to be respected, even if he fails. It is absolutely normal for rivals to cover a little more and be a little more aggressive with him. Vinicius has nothing to change about his attitude, It seems to me that he respects his rivals and the referees a lot". (h/t MARCA)
The Italian manager went on to add that Vinicius' flashy playing style can sometimes get under the skin of his opponents:
"He is a special player. Because of how he plays, it can sometimes happen that the rival gets angry. You have to understand that he always tries to dribble, whether his team wins or loses.
"Sometimes he tries to make the rival angry a little more than normal, but these are things that happen in football. With experience he will learn little by little."