Real Madrid president shows solidarity with Vinicius Jr after racist abuse

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez met with Vinicius Jr on Monday to show his support and explain how the club will defend their star player after he was racially abused by many Valencia fans on Sunday.

The Brazilian winger faced racist chants from fans at the Mestalla during the LaLiga match, which caused the game to be briefly stopped. Vinicius Jr was also sent off for defending himself after being physically abused by Valencia players after the referee chose not to protect the Brazilian.

Real Madrid reacted furiously to the way Valencia’s supporters treated their player, and have threatened legal action to ensure that their opponents are sanctioned for the racism, which they called a “hate crime”.

The club posted a video on Twitter and their official website of the meeting between Vinicius Jr and Perez, to inform him of the steps being taken in his defence and to express his support and affection:

In the video, Perez can be seen hugging Vinicius Jr and telling him: “You are not alone. We are with you. We will fight this together.”

Vinicius Jr thanked Perez for his gesture and said: “I appreciate it a lot. It means a lot to me. I’m very happy here. I love this club.”

Perez also praised Vinicius Jr for his performance and his attitude on the pitch, saying: “You are a great player and a great person. You have shown a lot of courage and dignity. You have our admiration and respect.”

The Brazilian has faced racism from rival fans on numerous occasions this season. Atletico Madrid, Valladolid, Mallorca and Osasuna supporters have also called him a “monkey” in previous matches.