Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: Real Madrid, Manchester City, Champions League, Rodri, Ballon d'Or
Luke Davies
Topics: Real Madrid, Manchester City, Champions League, Rodri, Ballon d'Or
Vini Jr has fired back at Manchester City fans’ banner, which they displayed at the Etihad ahead of their Champions League play-off first leg on February 11.
Ahead of the match, which ended 3-2 to Real Madrid, City fans draped a banner of Ballon d’Or winner Rodri from the stands with a picture of the Spaniard kissing the trophy and the words 'Stop Crying Your Heart Out' emblazoned on it, seemingly as a dig towards Vini Jr.
Of course, back in October, the Brazilian was many people’s favourite to win the award which is given to the best player in the world.
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However, Rodri, 28, was announced as the winner during a ceremony in Paris, France.
Madrid were not best pleased and boycotted the event despite being named as Men’s Club of the Year, with Carlo Ancelotti winning Men’s Coach of the Year.
The banner split opinion with former Liverpool defender and CBS pundit Jamie Carragher branding it as "absolutely ridiculous".
While Ancelotti also had this say.
“If he saw it, it served as a source of motivation for him," Ancelotti said after the first leg.
Vini Jr will have been pleased with being part of the Los Blancos side that knocked Manchester City out of the Champions League with a 3-1 win (6-3 aggregate) at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday.
After the game, he posted a cryptic message on social media.
“Okay okay okay!!!!!!!” he wrote on X.
The forward's former club, Flamengo, also posted a message of support.
"Congrats on making it to the next round, @vinijr Stop crying your heart out!" they posted to X.
Vini has previously spoken highly of the Brazil-based club and even referred to them as the "club of his life" in 2023.
"I think I could stay here [Real Madrid] my whole career, but the club of my life is Flamengo,” he told L’Équipe.
The winger came through the academy at Flamengo and made 69 appearances for the club before moving to Madrid in 2018.
"I love life here in general, and it's going well for my family too," he added. "When my loved ones walk around, they are recognised and they wish us nothing but happiness.
"Little by little, I discovered this new life, new emotions, a fervour... Madrid is unique. Everyone around the world tells me about this club.
"And apart from that, I like it. I'm quite a homebody, but we do a lot of activities."