Vinicius Jr has been slammed for what he did in a generational Real Madrid headloss against Barcelona.
Los Blancos fell in a chaotic and controversial Copa del Rey final, with Jules Koundé firing Barcelona to a dramatic 3-2 victory after extra time.
Pedri opened the scoring for Barça with a stunning strike, but Real Madrid quickly responded as Kylian Mbappé and Aurélien Tchouaméni turned the game around, putting Carlo Ancelotti’s men 2-1 ahead.
However, Ferran Torres equalized for Barcelona, setting the stage for a tense finale. Late drama unfolded when a potential Barcelona penalty was overturned following a VAR review, with Raphinha instead booked for diving. But in extra time, it was Koundé who delivered the decisive blow, smashing home the winner in the 116th minute.
Real Madrid’s frustration boiled over in the dying moments. A late penalty appeal was denied after an offside in the build-up, sparking chaos. Vinícius Jr stormed onto the pitch in fury, throwing his arm in protest, while Antonio Rüdiger hurled ice packs toward the referee — actions that led to his dismissal alongside Lucas Vázquez, who was also sent off after vocally confronting the officials over a foul call against Mbappé.
The tension was heightened by the fact that Real Madrid had already issued a strongly-worded statement criticizing the referee before the match — and reportedly even considered boycotting the final altogether.
In the end, it was Barcelona who held their nerve, lifting the Copa del Rey in one of the most heated and unforgettable Clásico finals in recent memory.
All three — Vinícius Jr, Antonio Rüdiger, and Lucas Vázquez — were substitutes at the time and completely lost their cool on the bench. Vinícius, who had earlier been replaced by Brahim Díaz due to injury struggles, erupted in anger when a key decision went against Real Madrid. His furious reaction quickly went viral, drawing widespread criticism online for his lack of composure during such a high-stakes moment.
One fan on X raged: “Rüdiger and Vinícius deserve a 10-match ban. They don’t deserve to play football at all.”
A second wrote: “The attitude of the Real Madrid players, even though the referee favored them throughout the match, is shameful. Vinícius and Rüdiger throwing things at the referee — a sad weekend for the image of this club.”
A third added: “Rüdiger and Vinícius deserve a 10+ match ban for their behavior, yet they will walk away without punishment. No matter though, because they have been beaten down and completely crushed.”
A fourth fumed: “This is disgusting. The worst behavior I’ve seen from such a big team.”
According to @Rodra10_97, a journalist for Relevo, either Vinícius Jr. or Jude Bellingham was also sent off for their post-match behavior, though an official confirmation is still pending.
Having already been eliminated from the Champions League by Arsenal and now trailing Barcelona in La Liga, Real Madrid risk ending the season without a trophy — adding further pressure on manager Carlo Ancelotti.
Speaking after the heartbreaking defeat, Ancelotti said: “We did everything we could. I can’t criticise the team.”
Real Madrid return to action on Sunday when they host Celta Vigo, before preparing for another huge El Clásico clash against Barcelona on May 11.
