"It's not football, it's La Liga" - Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Jr breaks silence after being subjected to racist chants from Valencia fans

Real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior was targeted with racist chants from Valencia fans before he was sent off during their match on Sunday, May 21. Vinicius recently took to Instagram and claimed that it is a problem La Liga alone, not in football.

The Real Madrid forward has been on the receiving end of racist abuse throughout the ongoing season at various away grounds that Los Blancos have traveled to. Valencia have since launched an investigation into the incident but stressed that the event was an 'isolated episode.'

The Brazilian, who has 10 goals and 10 assists in the league this season, was furious about the racist abuse after he was sent off against Valencia. He posted on Instagram:

📲 Vinícius on IG: “The prize that racists won was my sending off. It's not football, it's La Liga.” https://t.co/XSrTOJ3F5g

Vinicius was given a straight red card in second-half stoppage time, which means he will be suspended for Los Blancos' remaining three matches in the Spanish league.

Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior was racially abused by Atletico Madrid fans

Unfortunately, Sunday's match against Valencia wasn't the first time Vinicius Junior has been subjected to racist abuse this season. During Real Madrid's clash against their city-rivals Atletico Madrid earlier this season, Vinicius received racist abuse from the Atleti supporters.

Atletico Madrid released a statement against the chants and asked the fans to refrain from such behavior. They reminded the fans that they need to be open to fans and players from other cultures and nations as football should not divide people. It read:

"Atlético de Madrid roundly condemns the inadmissible chants that a minority of fans made [against Vinicius Jr] outside the stadium before the derby. Racism is one of the biggest scourges of our society and unfortunately the world of football and clubs are not free from its presence. Our club has always been known for being an open and inclusive space for fans of different nationalities, cultures, races and social classes and a few cannot tarnish the image of thousands and thousands of Atlético fans who support their team with passion and respect for their opponents."

The statement continued:

"These chants provoke enormous repulsion and indignation and we will not allow any individual to hide behind our colours to utter insults of a racist or xenophobic nature. At Atlético de Madrid we have zero tolerance for racism, our commitment in the fight against this social scourge is total and we will not stop until we eliminate it. To this end, we have contacted the authorities to offer them our full cooperation in the investigation of the events [against Vinicius Jr] that took place outside the stadium and to ask them to identify the people who participated in order to proceed with the immediate expulsion of those who are members of the club."

However, things still haven't improved for the 22-year-old Brazilian. He continues to be subjected to racist treatment at various La Liga venues. Hopefully, the latest instance will lead to strict action from La Liga and Valencia towards those responsible.