Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Jr has reportedly told the club he currently has no plans to renew his contract at the Santiago Bernabeu due to a difficult relationship with manager Xabi Alonso. The Brazilian is said to be one of five players at Real Madrid who are not happy with the new manager's methods after he replaced Carlo Ancelotti at the helm in the summer.
Vinicius and Alonso in the spotlight in Madrid
Vinicius is out of contract in 2027 and is yet to reach an agreement with the club to extend his stay. According to , he has informed Los Blancos he will not renew his current deal "while his relationship with head coach Alonso remains so strained". The disconnect between the two made the headlines during Madrid's Clasico win over Barcelona earlier this season. Vinicius was seen ranting after being taken off by Alonso in the second half of the match. He subsequently issued a public apology for his behaviour but raised more eyebrows by neglecting to mention his manager in his statement.
AdvertisementAFPAlonso reacts to Clasico controversy
Alonso sought to play down the controversy with Vinicius after the game. He told reporters: "On Wednesday we had a meeting with all the players and Vinicius was very good, impeccable. He spoke from the heart, with sincerity, and for me the matter is settled.
"For me, it [Vinicius' apology] was a very valuable, very positive statement, in which Vinicius showed honesty. For me, what matters is what he said to his team-mates, the club, the fans. For me, the matter is closed.”
Real Madrid opted not to sanction Vinicius for his outburst, with Alonso confirming: "it's settled, there will be no reprisals."
Real Madrid stars unhappy with Alonso?
Vinicius is not the only player unhappy with Alonso, according to . Jude Bellingham, Fede Valverde, Endrick and Rodrygo are also named as key stars who do not possess a great relationship with the coach. After a summer of speculation about a summer exit, Rodrygo has started only three La Liga games for Madrid this season, while Endrick looks set to head out on loan to Lyon. Meanwhile, Valverde has been forced to speak out amid allegations he refused to play in a defensive role for Alonso.
Real have suffered some poor results this season which have put Alonso's future at the club under scrutiny already. The loss to Liverpool in the Champions League and subsequent 0-0 draw at Vallecas against Rayo have not impressed fans who are also not enjoying the team's style of play. Madrid then followed those two results with a 2-2 draw against Elche last time out, needing a late equaliser from Bellingham to snatch a point
Alonso explains Vini Jr benching
Alonso spoke to the press after seeing his team drop points again at Elche. He was quizzed on his decision to start Vinicius on the bench once again and insisted the Brazilian understood his decision to leave him out of the starting XI.
"No, we had discussed it. We talk about it often. He understands; he knew the role he could play. We've done it before, like in Getafe. Today we're not happy, but everyone is eager to get back on track," he told reporters.
Alonso also insisted his relationship with the players is growing, adding: "We haven't fallen apart. We're still competing; the context of each match is different. The result is what matters, and we're aware of that and self-critical. The spirit is good; we have to respond to adversity. This is Real Madrid. We live with criticism; we want to improve.
"The connection is improving; we have more time and interact more, we know each other better. We're all in the same boat, we celebrate victories. We suffer if we don't win. The connection is good. We need to turn this situation around, starting with Athens."
