In a surprising turn of events, Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior has cast doubt over his future at the club, following his furious reaction to being substituted during their recent match against Barcelona. Despite Real Madrid’s 2-1 victory over their archrivals and moving five points clear at the top of La Liga, Vinícius Júnior’s behavior has raised eyebrows, suggesting deeper tensions with head coach Javi Alonso.

Chief correspondent Carve Solakol provided insight into the situation, explaining that the root of the conflict seems to be Vinícius Júnior’s growing frustration with what he perceives as a lack of respect from his new coach. Since Javi Alonso took over at Real Madrid, Vinícius Júnior has been benched multiple times and substituted earlier than expected in key matches. Solakol pointed out that while Vinícius Júnior has been working on improving his defensive contributions and adapting his game, he still feels sidelined by Alonso. This dissatisfaction boiled over during the El Clásico when Vinícius Júnior was substituted in the 72nd minute. His visible anger as he walked off the pitch, along with his words, “Me, me, always me. I’m leaving the team. It’s better that I go,” made it clear that tensions had reached a breaking point.

The question now is whether Real Madrid will side with their star player or their head coach. As Solakol highlighted, the club is backing Javi Alonso, confident in his approach and leadership, especially after the team’s performance against Barcelona. Alonso has downplayed the spat, suggesting that players are always unhappy when substituted, but the situation has escalated in the media, and insiders have indicated that the relationship between Vinícius Júnior and Alonso is currently at an all-time low.

As for Vinícius Júnior’s future, there are not many clubs that could afford the total package required to sign him. Despite interest from Saudi Arabian clubs like Al Ittihad, which reportedly offered a £300 million transfer fee and a staggering weekly salary, Solakol advises caution regarding these reports. At the moment, the most likely scenario is that Vinícius Júnior extends his contract with Real Madrid, as he has just over 18 months left on his current deal. If no agreement is reached soon, however, he could leave the club for free in the summer of 2027.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid’s other star, Jude Bellingham, has continued to shine brightly, cementing his place as the club’s new focal point. Bellingham’s match-winning performance against Barcelona demonstrated his importance to the team, and Solakol noted that Bellingham’s resilience after being dropped from the England squad has been impressive, with his recent goals and assists showing that he’s fully embracing his pivotal role at Madrid. The young midfielder’s confidence and contributions to the team underscore the shifting power dynamics at the club, which have left Vinícius Júnior feeling somewhat sidelined.

As the situation continues to develop, all eyes will be on whether Vinícius Júnior stays at Real Madrid or seeks a new challenge elsewhere, with his future at the club hanging in the balance.