“He is a leader who has decided to have a clear stance” - LaLiga president Javier Tebas heaps praised on Real Madrid star over fight against racism
LaLiga president Javier Tebas has heaped praise on Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior for his efforts to fight racism in football. The Brazilian forward has been very vocal about racial abuse in Spanish football over the past few years.
The 24-year-old has been subject to multiple counts of abuse from fans since joining Los Blancos in 2018. Perhaps the worst episode occurred during Real Madrid's game against Valencia in May 2023 when he received continued abuse from a section of fans.
Vinicius Junior responded by pointing out the culprits to the referee, causing the match to be temporarily stopped. While the Brazilian was sent off under controversial circumstances later in the game, he has continued his battle against racism so far.
Tebas recently named Vinicius a leader in LaLiga's fight against abuse, saying (via Mundi Deportivo):
“Vinicius is a player who, by fighting against racism, has drawn the wrath of the enemy, and we are keeping a close eye on him because he is a leader who has decided to have a clear stance against racism."
He continued:
“There are complaints that he doesn’t even know he was insulted, because, with the teams we send to the stadium and away, we have much more knowledge than we did a year and a half ago.”
Real Madrid have stood by the player during these difficult moments and LaLiga have also taken multiple steps as they try to curb the issue.
How has Vinicius Junior performed for Real Madrid this season?
Vinicius Junior was outstanding for Real Madrid last season, registering 24 goals and 11 assists from 39 games. He helped Los Blancos win the LaLiga title, the Champions League, and the Supercopa de Espana.
The Brazilian was heavily courted by clubs from Saudi Arabia over the summer. However, Real Madrid refused to listen to offers for the player, who also had no desire to leave the Santiago Bernabeu.
The arrival of Kylian Mbappe was expected to take the limelight off Vinicius, but the Brazilian has held his own with Los Blancos so far. Vinicius has registered five goals and seven assists from 13 games across competitions this season for the LaLiga giants. He is also in the mix for this year's Ballon d'Or, set to be declared later this month.
While Manchester City midfielder Rodri and Inter Milan's Lautaro Martinez are also among the contenders, the Brazilian remains the favorite for the award.