Real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior has insisted that his angry outburst towards his second-half substitution and the on-field scuffle that brought Sunday’s Clásico to an ugly end were simply examples of what makes Los Blancos’ meetings with Barcelona so special.

An impressive 2–1 win over Barcelona meant Madrid fans left the Santiago Bernabéu with smiles on their faces, but the game did not pass without controversy. Things threatened to turn sour for Madrid with 20 minutes to go when Vinicius failed to hide his fury towards manager Xabi Alonso’s decision to withdraw him.

A furious on-field reaction, which some have gone as far as to claim saw Vinicius threaten to leave Madrid altogether, was followed by the sight of the Brazilian storming straight down the tunnel, only to skulk back to the bench later on.

Having returned to the fray, Vinicius had a front-row seat for the fight that occurred after the final whistle. The Brazilian was booked for his role in the incident, which is thought to have stemmed from Lamine Yamal’s prematch taunts.

Speaking to Real Madrid TV after the game, Vinicius did not discuss his reaction to the substitution but acknowledged the game was full of the sort of heated moments which makes El Clásico arguably the world’s most famous fixture.

“That’s what El Clásico is like; there are many things on and off the pitch,” he said.

“We try to balance it all, but it’s not always possible. We don’t want to offend anyone, neither the Barça players nor the fans. We know that when we go out there, we have to play our part, and that was the case today.”

How Real Madrid Responded to Vinicius’s Outburst

Xabi Alonso, Vinicius Junior
Vinicius made his frustrations abundantly clear. | Oscar Del Pozo/AFP/Getty Images

Exactly what Vinicius said during his exit from the field is up for debate. The footage has been analyzed repeatedly and there have been claims that in an explicit rant at Alonso, Vinicius went as far as to inform the Madrid boss that he would rather leave the club than continue working under him. Crucially, this is all speculation at this point.

What is not up for debate, however, is the shocking nature of Vinicius’s reaction to the news. He stormed straight down the tunnel and, according to MARCA, had to be comforted by Madrid goalkeeper coach Lluis Llopis, who convinced him to return to the bench.

Alonso promised to speak with Vinicius in the immediate aftermath of the game and suggested there was no problem between the two. A separate report from MARCA notes that Madrid officials are not particularly concerned by the incident, even if they are unimpressed.

“Vinicius can’t put on that show,” an unnamed club source is quoted as saying. “It’s true that Xabi may have been too hasty in his substitution, but he’s the third captain and must set an example.”

There are not expected to be any repercussions for Vinicius, with Madrid seeing his response more as a sign of his desire to play for the club and his passion for big moments like El Clásico.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Vinicius Junior Breaks Silence on El Clasico Controversy.