Vinícius Jr. subjected to racist monkey gestures from fans during Real Madrid match

Brazilian star Vinícius Jr. was once again subjected to a wave of racist insults during Real Madrid’s hard-fought 1-0 victory over Real Sociedad in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinals.

Young forward Endrick secured the win with a first-half goal, giving Los Blancos a slight advantage. However, tensions escalated just before halftime when offensive chants targeted Madrid defender Vinícius Jr., forcing the referee to halt the match.

A victory tainted by controversy, racist insults and chants against Vinícius Jr.

The situation worsened when a video surfaced on social media showing a Real Sociedad fan making monkey gestures at Vinícius while the game was paused.

Racist chants targeting Vinícius Jr. have become disturbingly frequent in Spanish stadiums in recent weeks, but this marked the first time a referee decided to stop the match.

Meanwhile, authorities in Spain are investigating Asencio for allegedly sharing an explicit video of a minor, placing him at the center of a legal controversy.

Real Sociedad fans making monkey gestures to Vini Jr! 😳

Disgusting behaviour… 🤮pic.twitter.com/taFnqNes1I

— The 44 ⚽️ (@The_Forty_Four) February 26, 2025

Ancelotti response and the anti-racism protocol

After the match, Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti defended the referee’s decision to halt the game: “Vinícius spoke with the referee, the referee applied the protocol, that’s exactly what needed to happen.”

The coach also decided to substitute Vinícius at halftime, stating that the offensive chants had left the player “not exactly happy.”

Vinícius Jr., who has frequently been the victim of racist abuse in Spanish football, once again finds himself at the center of controversy. This ongoing issue highlights a persistent problem in stadiums, where acts of hatred continue to tarnish the sport.