Former Real Madrid star Lucas Vazquez has shared his thoughts on Vinicius Jr's struggles amid criticism about the Brazilian winger's on and off-field demeanour.
After starting his senior career with Los Blancos' reserve team in 2010, Vazquez received his first team call-up in 2015. After winning 23 trophies, including four La Liga titles and six Champions League titles in a decade-long tenure, the Spaniard parted ways with Real Madrid this summer and joined Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen as a free agent.
Now, in a recent interview with COPE, Vazquez recalled his time at Santiago Bernabeu and also spoke about former teammate Vinicius, who has been on the receiving end of heavy criticism and scrutiny from fans and media.
Vazquez stated that Vinicius struggled with the frequent hostile treatment from rival fans, followed by critical comments on his behavior on and off the pitch, and mentioned that the 25-year-old 'didn't always listen' to his teammates' advice regarding that.
"It was tough on away match days because you see your teammate and friend not having a good time. You want him to be at his best, and he can't be in the spotlight for things that aren't football-related. We told him not to let it affect him, but he didn't always listen," as per GOAL.
Irrespective of his form on the pitch, Vinicius has been on the receiving end of jeers and demeaning comments from rival fans on multiple occasions amid persistent criticism since his arrival at the Spanish club in 2018.
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What's next for Real Madrid and Vinicius Jr.?
Vinicius has made a good start to the season, registering five goals and four assists in 10 games across competitions for Los Blancos.
Despite being a key part of head coach Xabi Alonso's plans, Vinicius and Real Madrid are currently in a reported contract standoff, with his current deal set to expire in the summer of 2027.
Vinicius recorded one goal and one assist in Brazil's recent 5-0 win against South Korea in a friendly match on Friday. He and his national squad will now prepare to face Japan on October 14.
Following the ongoing international break, Vinicius and Real Madrid will return to La Liga action with their clash against Getafe on October 19 at Coliseum Stadium.
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