Relationship between the player and manager has broken down due to selection decisions
Real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior has informed the club that he does not wish to extend his contract while his relationship with head coach Xabi Alonso remains strained.
The forward spoke directly to club president Florentino Perez about the issue of his contract renewal. He made it clear he does not see renewing his contract as a viable option under the current circumstances with Alonso, according to The Athletic.
Vinicius’s current deal runs until June 2027, and discussions over an extension have stalled due to various disagreements.
There are issues about how much the player is demanding, but the major question has been his relationship with Alonso.
Vinicius did not play 90 minutes of football for up to 13 games into Alonso’s tenure, until the game against Levante on 23 September. He was always either substituted in the second half or started on the bench. The player expressed his frustration several times, although Alonso claimed the decision was purely rotation-based.
The peak of the conflict was during Madrid’s 2-1 victory over Barcelona in the clásico in October. Vinicius reacted angrily after being substituted in the 72nd minute, before walking directly down the tunnel.
The player was reported to have said: “Always me, I’m leaving the team. It’s better if I leave. I’m leaving.”
After the match, he apologised for his behaviour. However, while there was a public apology posted on social media, Vinicius notably did not mention Alonso by name in the post, despite mentioning others, including club president Perez. Sources familiar with the situation said the omission was deliberate, as he specifically wanted to make it clear how he still felt about Alonso.
