Celta Vigo captain offers blunt advice to Real Madrid star amid fan pressure: ‘Channel the frustration into football’ | OneFootball

There are very few stadiums in Spain where Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr. does not face constant criticism, whistles, or provocation. 

Over the years, the Real Madrid winger has become one of the most targeted players in La Liga, not only because of his talent, but also due to the way his attitude on the pitch is often perceived by opponents and rival fans. 

It is within this context that Celta Vigo captain Iago Aspas decided to offer what he described as honest and experienced advice. 

Advice from a veteran

Speaking during his latest appearance on the Feeberse YouTube channel, the Celta Vigo forward addressed Vinicius’ situation with empathy rather than criticism. 

Aspas said that he was speaking from the perspective of someone who has faced similar challenges during his own career.

“I’m not in his shoes. It’s true that sometimes his attitude leads to that kind of interpretation by his opponents, but he should channel that frustration he has, which seems to be directed at his opponents, more into football,” he said.

Aspas then took a step back and admitted that he may not be the ideal figure to hand out advice, precisely because he once struggled with the same issues. 

Iago Aspas has shared his advice to Vinicius. (Photo by Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images)

“It’s easy for me to say that when I’ve been through what he’s been through many times, especially when I was younger. 

“I’m sure that, especially in the Second Division when there was no VAR, I received many cards or many red cards when I was younger and didn’t know how to channel my frustration. 

“It’s true that I’ve improved over the years, but it’s also true that it’s something you carry inside you and you’ll never be able to stop it completely,” he acknowledged.

Fans disrupting Vinicius

The veteran forward also touched on how rival supporters deliberately target players like Vinicius to disrupt their focus. 

This external pressure, according to him, is often designed to stop gifted footballers from expressing themselves fully on the pitch.

“It’s easy for the opposing fans to get on his case to throw him off balance and prevent him from showing all the football he has inside him, which is a lot and very, very good,” he said in conclusion.