Foot & Soccer Soccer Match Reports, Football News
Vinicius Junior says Manchester Metropolis’s banner mocking the Brazilian’s Ballon d’Or snub gave him energy in Actual Madrid’s 3-2 win on the Etihad.
Metropolis supporters held up an enormous show previous to kick-0ff of their Champions League knockout play-off first leg displaying midfielder Rodri holding the Ballon d’Or trophy with the phrases “Cease Crying Your Coronary heart Out” – a music by Metropolis-supporting band Oasis.
The tifo was in reference to the Metropolis midfielder being awarded the celebrated prize in October as a substitute of Actual winger Vinicius, with prompted the Spanish giants to boycott the occasion.
However it was Actual and Vinicius who ultimately had the final chortle with the Brazilian enjoying a key function in each of his facet’s late targets to earn a dramatic 3-2 win, together with an help for Jude Bellingham’s stoppage-time winner.
After the sport, Vinicius informed Movistar: “I noticed it, I noticed the banner. Each time the opposing followers do issues like that they provide me extra energy to have an awesome sport and right here I’ve executed it.”
He later added: “I used to be by no means scared in my life by any tifo, by rival followers.
“I simply wish to assist the squad and win for Actual Madrid”.
Vinicius celebrated in entrance of the Man Metropolis followers by pointing on the 15-time Champions League winners patch on his Actual Madrid equipment 🥶 pic.twitter.com/GW2y6MUQ5K
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) February 11, 2025
Carragher: Man Metropolis banner “completely ridiculous”
Each managers Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti refused to be drawn on the banner however pundit Jamie Carragher believes the stunt massively backfired.
“It’s completely ridiculous,” Carragher informed CBS Sports activities in regards to the banner.
“Why would you do it? What do you acquire from it, even when it’s the followers? Why annoy folks, why wind somebody up? Do it on the finish of the sport, while you’ve knocked them out.
“Don’t begin me on the celebration police. I don’t know what you acquire out of it – it’s not humorous tonight, is it?
“If I used to be popping out and Steven Gerrard had gained the Ballon d’Or, and he’d crushed a Actual Madrid participant, that might annoy me as a Liverpool participant.
“It’s like a jinx. I don’t like stuff like that. Why wind up a few of the finest gamers on the earth? I do know Madrid acted like infants not going there, however act like the right membership.
“Everybody laughed at Actual not going, whether or not it’s Vinicius Junior or Carlo Ancelotti not selecting up the supervisor of the yr.”
Earlier than the sport, Carlo Ancelotti doubled down on Actual Madrid’s determination to not attend the Ballon d’Or ceremony, including that he thought “Rodri deserved to win the yr earlier than”.
“That was embarrassing for a membership like them, simply because they didn’t win it for one season. Man Metropolis don’t have to become involved, have a bit of sophistication.”
