4 November 2024
Barcelona's Brazilian international star Raphinha has defended his compatriot and Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior in the face of recent racist abuse in Spanish stadiums. "We didn't talk about the Ballon d'Or when we met after the match (last week's El Clasico). In the end, we live football 24/7, and when we meet, we prefer to talk about our family life and personal relationships," Raphinha told Spanish newspaper El Pais.
The Barcelona star sent a message of solidarity to the Real Madrid winger, saying: "I completely understand why Vinicius feels sad because of the racist chants. This kind of behaviour pushes people to their limits."
He added: "We don't know what happened in his childhood or the things he heard when he was young, these things put a person on edge and upset him a lot."
Raphinha continued: "Vinicius is always a cheerful person and loves to joke, racism is the only thing that makes him angry.
