Real Madrid humiliated Barcelona on their own turf, advancing to the Copa del Rey final with a 4-0 victory at the Nou Camp. Brazilian winger Vinicius Jr was at the heart of the action, getting into a handful of scuffles late in the game. Despite already being booked, Vinicius clashed with Ronald Araujo and ex-Manchester City forward Ferran Torres. His Real Madrid teammates intervened to prevent him from being sent off, and he escaped punishment for a vicious dig at Torres, reportedly saying “Shut up, you’re terrible” after a coming together.
Barcelona ace Araujo hit out at Vinicius’ antics throughout the heated second leg, saying “He is a great player, but my head got a little hot tonight because he kept telling our players this and that throughout the match.” However, Vinicius refused to enjoy his side’s victory quietly, posting a series of pictures of Los Blancos’ celebrations with the caption “Comeback & Final = REAL MADRID”. Manchester United whiz Alejandro Garnacho replied to the post to further rile up Barcelona fans, writing “normal” in a clear dig at the Nou Camp side.
Real Madrid celebrated wildly in the dressing room after the game, with Carlo Ancelotti announcing they were getting the day off thanks to their massive win, which drew the biggest cheer of the night. The victory was a huge boost for Real Madrid, who had been struggling in La Liga and needed a morale-boosting win against their arch-rivals. The result also marked a significant moment for Vinicius Jr, who has been criticised for his lack of end product in recent seasons.
Vinicius has shown flashes of brilliance since joining Real Madrid from Flamengo in 2018 but has struggled to consistently deliver in front of goal. However, he has been in fine form this season, scoring six goals and providing three assists in La Liga. The 23-year-old’s pace and trickery have caused problems for opposition defences, and he has formed a promising partnership with Karim Benzema.
Vinicius’ performance against Barcelona was a testament to his growing confidence and maturity. Despite being involved in a number of heated exchanges, he kept his cool and played a key role in Real Madrid’s victory. His putdown of Ferran Torres may have been controversial, but it showed that he is not afraid to stand up for himself and his team.
Real Madrid will face Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey final on April 17, and Vinicius will be hoping to play a key role in securing the trophy. The Brazilian has already won two trophies with Real Madrid – the Supercopa de Espana and the Club World Cup – but the Copa del Rey would be his first major domestic honour. With his confidence growing and his performances improving, Vinicius could be the key to Real Madrid’s success this season.