Vinicius Jr Let His Football Do The Talking In Response To Manchester City Tifo Taunt
Real Madrid stunned Manchester City with another famous comeback in the Champions League, winning 3-2 at the Etihad on Tuesday night.
Star of the night, Vinicius Jr, assisted Jude Bellingham's last-minute winner with a chip over Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson. It broke Lionel Messi's Champions League knockout assist record.
MORE: Vinicius Jr. Breaks One Of Lionel Messi's Champions League Records With Man City Display
The Brazilian was at his brilliant best yet again in the Champions League, silencing the City fans after chants of "Where's your Ballon D'or?" and an infamous "stop crying your heart out" tifo.
Some response from Vinicius Jr. 🥶#UCL #MCIRMA pic.twitter.com/t7ulaDPf8K
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) February 11, 2025
However, City fans' attempt to wind up the Brazilian backfired on Tuesday, with Vinicius Jr. letting his football do the talking. He tormented the City defense throughout the match and admitted after the final whistle that he used the tifo as motivation.
Vinicius Jr got the last laugh 🫣
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) February 12, 2025
A banner featuring Rodri kissing the Ballon d'Or alongside the words "Stop crying your heart out" was revealed by the home fans before kick-off 😳 pic.twitter.com/738V1bcnTB
The Brazilian has a reputation that provocations from players and fans can distract him from his best. It's a dark art tactic we've seen countless times. Atletico Madrid fans have developed a toxic relationship with the winger, with Vini occasionally retaliating to the constant jeers that ring around the Metropolitano when he plays.
Furthermore, last month, we saw him be sent off after naively retaliating against Valencia's goalkeeper Stole Dimitrevski's aggravations.
Nevertheless, the Brazilian remained composed during his man-of-the-match display on Tuesday night, ending the night celebrating an incredible comeback. During this, he subtly hit back and sent a clear message to City fans as he pointed to the badge on the sleeve of the Madrid shirt, representing the fifteen Champions Leagues the club has won.
🚨⚪️ Vinicius Jr on Man City fans’ banner: “I was never scared in my life by any tifo, by rival fans...”.
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) February 12, 2025
“I just want to help the squad and win for Real Madrid”. pic.twitter.com/taARHm1Hij
The incidents complement the comments of both coaches, describing that when Manchester City and Real Madrid play, it feels like a "Clasico." This is the fourth consecutive year the clubs have faced each other in the Champions League, and now, there is a rivalry not just on the pitch.
This time, Real Madrid came out on top, winning at the Etihad in a 90-minute match for the first ever time. However, if we have learned anything from this unpredictable fixture over the years, it's that this tie is far from over. The Citizens will be heading to the Bernabéu next Wednesday with a daunting but by no means impossible task of overcoming Los Blancos' one-goal lead.
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Vinicius Jr. Breaks One Of Lionel Messi's Champions League Records With Man City Display
Joe Rusling is a UK-born sports journalist, based in Madrid. A European soccer enthusiast, he has appeared on Real Madrid TV and Sleeper Football. Covering Bayern Munich, PSG and Real Madrid On SI.
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