During Real Madrid's 1-0 loss to Valencia on Sunday night, striker Vinicius Junior was subjected to racial insults. The visitors were down 1-0 when the attacker was subjected to disparaging remarks from rival spectators at the Mestalla Stadium. 

The game was stopped for several minutes after the Brazilian called the referee's attention to the supporters chanting. The game was restarted, but Vinicius received a red card for slapping Hugo Duro in the face. 

He later posted a strong statement on social media, saying ‘racism is normal in La Liga’. A lot of people have expressed support for the 22-year-old since that incident, including Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe and Brazilian President Lula da Silva. 

Barcelona defender Jules Kounde also recently issued a strong message on Twitter to support the young winger. 

“Discriminatory insults should not be tolerated or justified.
To say that a player’s behaviour can provoke racist reactions is to shift the debate. We must focus on solutions because the problem is unfortunately recurrent and tarnishes the image of this league.

This is undoubtedly a minority truth, but it does not make it any less unacceptable. "Are these people truly racist, or do they behave solely to destabilize? It's difficult to say. However, one thing is certain: words have meaning and actions have consequences.

"These actions are illegal and punishable by law." Stadium bans would be far too simple. What sanctions exist outside of football? Are they actually implemented? Are they adequate? Can we envision more educational and public-interest measures?

"Ignorance is the root of all evils, but it is curable." I continue to believe that everyone has the ability to reflect on their past behavior, assess the harm it has caused, and change for the better.

"You have my full support, Vini Jr." Vinicius Junior has been one of Real Madrid's most significant players this season.  This season, he has ten goals and nine assists in 32 La Liga matches. 

In the Spanish top division, the Brazilian averaged 2.4 shots, 2.0 critical passes, and 3.4 dribbles per game, with a passing accuracy of more than 80%.  He also started 11 Champions League matches this season, contributing 12 goals. 

Vinicius has been outstanding for Los Blancos since joining from Flamengo in 2017. 

He has made an astonishing 224 senior games with almost 120 goal contributions since making his Real debut in September 2018.