Toni Kroos Steps Up to Support Vinicius in Crucial Moment

The reaction of Vinicius when he was substituted during the Clasico has sparked significant conversation. While the Spanish press has been critical of the Brazilian, who even hinted at “leaving the team,” Toni Kroos has come to his defense, as reported by AS. “When you play an exceptional match, especially in a game like this, you can’t be okay with being replaced. I never liked being substituted either. To be honest, I’ve never gone straight to the locker room after being taken off. Many will judge from the outside. I like to remember that those on the field during a Clásico, in front of 80,000 fans and with a score of 2-1, want nothing more than to stay on. No one can understand that feeling, or often, those who do judge don’t put themselves in their shoes,” he stated.

The former German international, who played for the Merengues for ten years, also indicated that this moment of anger shouldn’t strain the relationship between Vinicius and coach Xabi Alonso, as the latter can understand the situation from his experience as a former player. “He could hold onto his anger a bit longer. I understand his frustration, but as seen in the footage, it wasn’t expressed ideally. Still, I want to emphasize that being in such a match is an emotionally unique situation. I’ve experienced it many times, so not everything should be taken too seriously. Coaches generally don’t either, especially those who have played,” he added. This support may help soothe the harshest critics.