Vini Jr. booed against Betis, Xabi Alonso leaps to the striker’s defence | OneFootball

The relationship between Vini Jr. and Real Madrid fans added another chapter this past Sunday. Despite the 5-1 victory over Betis, the number 7 was booed in the team's first game of 2026.

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After the match, coach Xabi Alonso defended the Brazilian and highlighted his performance, especially in the first half. “Vini contributed a lot, he was very incisive in the first half, got a card, and they had to take the full-back off. I liked Vini's performance and now he will be crucial in the Super Cup,” said the coach.

Still in the first half, Vinícius forced a yellow card on full-back Álvaro Ortiz, who was eventually substituted due to being at risk. In the second half, the forward's performance declined. Vinícius received a yellow card and was substituted along with Rodrygo.

The boos are nothing new for the Brazilian. In his last match of 2025, in the victory over Sevilla, Vini Jr. also left the field to the sound of the crowd. Without scoring for 15 games, Vinícius has been frequently substituted. Since Xabi Alonso took over at Real Madrid, the forward has played 31 times and was substituted in 17 of them.

Next match

Real Madrid's next commitment will be against Atlético de Madrid, in the Spanish Super Cup semifinal, this Thursday, in Saudi Arabia.

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