Former Real Madrid star Van der Vaart brands Vinícius ‘terrible’ for his conduct despite praising his abilities
Former Real Madrid midfielder Rafael van der Vaart has launched a scathing attack on Vinícius Júnior, labelling the winger’s conduct “horrible” after the Spanish giants suffered a 1-2 loss to Bayern Munich at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu in the Champions League quarter-final first leg.
The Dutch pundit did not hold back in his assessment of the Brazilian’s temperament. While acknowledging Vinícius’s undeniable technical ability, Van der Vaart expressed deep frustration with the aspects of the player’s game that he believes are tarnish his reputation.
“Vinícius is terrible. It annoys me to no end when I see him. I find it really sad because he’s a fantastic player,” the former Netherlands international told Ziggo Sport.
“As soon as he gets a slight push, he goes down, hoping to see a red card for the opponent, and then gets up as if nothing had happened. That’s the part of him that I find sad.”
The criticism from Van der Vaart came during a night of high tension in Madrid, where a section of the home crowd also voiced their displeasure.
The frustration in the stands boiled over when Vinícius squandered a crucial one-on-one chance against Manuel Neuer in the 61st minute, a moment that could have altered the momentum with the score at 2-0 to the visitors.
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Van der Vaart concluded that the behaviour “drives you absolutely mad,” questioning how such a talented individual can be steered away from these controversial antics.
Kompany offers solidarity amidst the storm
In the meantime, Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany provided an unexpected public endorsement of the Real Madrid winger.
The pair were seen sharing a warm embrace on the touchline before the start of the second half, a gesture Kompany later explained was rooted in his respect for “different” players who bring flair to the sport.
“Vini must stay exactly as he is. He has my total support – regardless of whether he is an opposing player or not,” Kompany stated in a post-match interview with Amazon Prime.
The Belgian coach argued that while pundits and fans are entitled to their opinions, the scrutiny directed at Vinícius often crosses a line into unnecessary hostility.
Kompany’s supportive stance is reportedly linked to his awareness of the intense atmosphere surrounding the player, including a high-profile incident involving Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni in February that sparked a wider conversation regarding refereeing and player treatment.
