When talking about Vinicius Jr. and Real Madrid, besides mentioning their great sporting achievements, it is inevitable to address situations laden with controversy. This time is no exception, as both the merengue team and the 'Canarinha's' number 7 have been the subject of harsh criticism by Paco Roig, former president of Valencia CF between 1994 and 1997, in a recent interview where he spoke openly about the white club and one of its main stars.
The former director of the Valencia club, before delving into his scathing criticism of Real Madrid and 'Vini Jr.', began by addressing the issue of racism, which triggered a series of attacks towards the whites and one of their stars. "Before, there were no such problems or I did not notice them. Romário was half black and had no problems," Roig began in his interview with 'Relevo'.
Paco Roig's Criticism of Real Madrid
It was at this point that Roig began to speak harshly about Madrid and its star, highlighting the overwhelming presence of foreign players that the merengue team has in its squad. "I call Madrid 'the 'Real Immigrant'. If Madrid has eight black players, two white players, and one Spanish player, Carvajal, and this Vinicius is here, and then another comes to push him out...," he remarked.
It's worth mentioning that Real Madrid only has five Spanish players in their team, of which only one, Dani Carvajal, plays a key role in Carlo Ancelotti's starting eleven. The others (Fran García, Lucas Vázquez, Dani Ceballos, and Jesús Vallejo) have sporadic appearances.
The Harsh Statements Against 'Vini Jr.'
Subsequently, Roig directed his criticism towards Vinicius Jr., especially regarding the incidents that occurred on May 21, 2023, at Mestalla, where allegedly racist chants were directed towards the Real Madrid '7' and there was a perceived double standard in the sanctions for both parties. "Do you know what happened here? He climbed the fence at Mestalla and said 'you called me a son of a bitch'. I was at Mestalla that day with my grandson and my son. I asked my grandson, 'Alfonsito, what are they saying?' And he replied: 'they're saying silly'. I thought they were calling him a monkey. But no. And I asked my son Alfonso, 40 years old, the father of the boy, 'what are they saying?' And the same. 'Silly'," he began recounting.
"So this guy goes out, stands there, and starts gesturing and saying 'you go to the Second Division.' They take away the red card from him, but what is this? They throw things at us from two or three stands, the fans couldn't enter for two or three matches, and they forgive him," he concluded.
Finally, Paco Roig probably issued his harshest criticism towards Vinicius Jr., highlighting his undeniable talent as a player but questioning his provocative attitude. "He will be a great player, which I believe he is, but he is a... He's a piece of shit as a person. Always going to the referee. I have been to South America 20 or 30 times and nothing has ever happened to me. I go to South America with humility and speak with affection. I can't go there saying I'm the conqueror. This guy can't be like that. But who are you?" he concluded.