Back in October, Real Madrid defeated Barcelona after four losses to them in the current La Liga. However, the focus turned to Vinicius‘ reaction after then-manager Xabi Alonso substituted him for Rodrygo with around 20 minutes left. Carlo Ancelotti recently revealed he spoke with him.
Vinicius’ reaction was notably loud for a player of his importance, yelling “Me?” several times before leaving the field and even making a gesture toward Alonso that came across as disrespectful. Former Real Madrid player Jorge Valdano raised the issue with Ancelotti on his Universo Valdano show.
Ancelotti didn’t shy away: “The reaction was bad. I spoke with Vini about this. The player must respect the manager, who can make mistakes, his teammates, and the players coming on. He’s very passionate. I think he has improved a lot in his attitude. The Vinicius who plays for Brazil is different as a person from the one at Real Madrid.”
Ancelotti speaks on his time with Álvaro Arbeloa
Ancelotti was the manager of the club until he left in 2025 to take charge of Brazil. He was finishing one of his most successful runs with Real Madrid, including a pair of Champions League titles in his second stint at the club.
Vinicius didn’t complete the match (Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
The Italian had already managed the club from 2013 to 2015 before returning years later. In that period, he worked with the current Real Madrid manager Álvaro Arbeloa.
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Asked about Arbeloa as a player he said: “He didn’t play very much because it was Daniel Carvajal’s spot. But he was an important presence in the dressing room, a great professional. I wish him the best.”
The difference for Vinicius from Arbeloa to Alonso
There seemed to be a colder relationship between Alonso and the players from the first day. Arbeloa has taken a different approach, trying to be close to them and at times acting more like a teammate than the manager.
Arbeloa was very complimentary when talking about Vinicius at his most recent press conference: “Since I took over, he has been sensational. He decides matches, scores great goals, and puts the team on his back. He isn’t afraid.”
