Vinicius Junior has sparked a conversation after he was racially abused by some fans when Real Madrid faced Valencia at the Mastella. In another such incident, a member of the Real Madrid star's entourage was the victim of an alleged racist incident before Brazil's international friendly against Guinea.
Felipe Silveira, a long-term friend of Vinicius and a member of TFM Agency, which represents the player, was allegedly presented with a banana by a member of security staff at Espanyol’s RCDE Stadium after he was searched ahead of attending the fixture. Silveira filed a complaint following the incident on Sunday and Spanish police have said they are investigating the matter. Vinicius Jr expressed his outrage and sadness on social media, saying that his friend was humiliated and mocked at the entrance to the stadium.
Vinicius Jr wrote on Twitter, "While I was playing with the already historic black shirt and getting emotional, my friend was humiliated and mocked at the entrance to the stadium. The treatment was sad, at all times they doubted the surreal scene that happened. Backstage is disgusting. But to make everything public, I ask those responsible: where are the security camera footage?"
The decision to play the friendly in Spain was criticized in Brazil following the racist abuse suffered by Vinicius Jr at Valencia’s Mestalla Stadium but the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) managed to pacify the criticism by using the fixture as an opportunity to take a public stand against racism by wearing an all-black kit for the first time.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino met with Vinicius Jr this month regarding a new initiative aiming to tackle racism in football and Vinicius agreed to join a task force that was set up to combat racism in the game. Along with other players who are experiencing such hate, Vinicius will work on giving harsher punishments to remove racism from football.
