WHAT OCCURRED?
Before the first leg at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester City fans displayed a banner showing midfielder Rodri kissing the Ballon d’Or trophy along with the lyrics “Stop Crying Your Heart Out,” an allusion to the well-known Oasis song. The statement was a sharp jab at Vinicius, who was passed over for the esteemed Ballon d’Or accolade last October in favor of the Spaniard. Real Madrid was displeased with the choice to exclude the Brazilian, leading Vinicius and the team’s representatives to skip the ceremony in Paris.
THE LARGER PERSPECTIVE
Vinicius had the last word on the field, playing a crucial role in Madrid’s thrilling 3-2 comeback win at the Etihad. The Spanish giants rallied from behind on two occasions to level the score against City, before Jude Bellingham clinched the victory with a last-minute goal during stoppage time.
“Every time the opposing fans act that way, it just motivates me to perform at my highest level – and I believe I demonstrated that today,” Vinicius stated.
Although many interpreted the banner as a targeted jab at the Real Madrid winger, the individuals behind it later explained that it was actually a message aimed at Real Madrid president Florentino Perez.
DID YOU KNOW?
Real Madrid guaranteed their spot in the Champions League round of 16 with a solid 3-1 triumph at the Santiago Bernabéu in the second leg, achieving a 6-3 aggregate victory over City. After Madrid’s advancement, Vinicius quickly took a shot at City supporters on social media. The 23-year-old shared “Alright, alright, alright” on X (previously Twitter), along with a crying emoji—a clear nod to the jibes he faced prior to the match
