Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr. (AP Photo)
Vinicius revisited footage of that press conference and admitted it was a painful memory but one he believes needed to be addressed.
Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior has declared that he and his teammates will walk off the pitch if they encounter any form of racism this season. The Brazilian star, who has reportedly been the target of racial abuse, made the statement as he reflected on the emotional toll it has taken.
Earlier this year, Vinicius broke down in tears during an April press conference when discussing the racist slurs he has faced. This incident occurred ahead of Brazil’s international match against Spain. Recently, Vinicius revisited footage of that press conference and admitted it was a painful memory but one he believes needed to be addressed.
“Talking about racism is always very difficult because in the last season here in Madrid, it happened to me a lot – and it’s not even close to what normal people suffer in the streets. And I always think about that,” Vinicius Junior told CNN.
“So that interview was very important not only for me, but for all the people who trust me and give me a lot of strength so I can keep fighting for all Black people who suffer daily,” he added.
Vinicius Junior went on to vow that he and his other Real Madrid teammates are ready to walk off the field if he faces any kind of racist abuse this season.
“In the club, we talk about it more often. Not just me, but all players said that if that happens, the next time everyone has to leave the field so that all of those people who insulted us have to pay a much bigger penalty,” the 24-year-old said.
Three Valencia fans were recently sentenced to eight months in prison for hate crimes against Vinicius Junior. Those three Valencia supporters had pleaded guilty to the charges, as per Reuters. The article claimed that those fans were even banned from entering football stadiums for two years and ordered to pay the costs of the proceedings.
Vinicius Junior was abused by the Valencia fans at the Mestalla Stadium in May last year as well.
Talking about that incident, he said, “In the case of what happened in Valencia, after the game – after we thought about it – everyone said that the right thing to do is to leave the field, but because you are there defending a team, we know that not everyone in the stadium is racist and were just there to watch the game.”
Vinicius Junior went on to say, “It’s always very difficult to end a game, but with everything that’s been happening, that each time is getting worse, we do need to leave the field so things can change as soon as possible.”
Coming back to on-field developments, Vinicius Junior has started the ongoing season on a promising note having notched two assists in three games so far. In his next assignment, Vinicius is expected to take the field for Real Madrid against Las Palmas in the LaLiga tomorrow.
