Real Madrid’s Florentino Perez meets with Vinicius Jr to show support and explain defence strategies

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has met with Vinicius Jr to show support in the wake of Sunday’s vile incidents at Valencia.

The Brazilian winger faced racist chants from fans at the Mestalla during the LaLiga match, with Vinicius Jr also sent off for slapping Hugo Duro in the closing stages of the 1-0 defeat.

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 caused Sunday’s game to be briefly stopped.

When play continued, the 22-year-old Brazilian was sent off in stoppage time for clashing with Valencia players, after the intervention of a VAR check.  

Now the club has issued a video on Twitter of the meeting between Vinicius Jr and President Perez, to inform him of the steps being taken in his defence.

Vinicius Jr was sent off late on against Valencia, in a match marred and delayed by chanting 

The club’s official site also posted the footage, with the caption: ‘The Real Madrid president had a meeting with Vinicius Junior expressing his support and affection, informing him of all the steps that are being taken in his defence and confirming that the club will go to any length in the face of such a disgusting hateful incident.’

In an explosive attack after the game, the Brazilian used social media to say that LaLiga ‘belongs to racists’, and that the Spanish game had sunk to new lows by letting Sunday’s incidents happen. 

LaLiga president Javier Tebas hit back at Vinicius Jr’s criticism, calling it ‘very unfair’, because he vows that the Spanish top flight is ‘relentless’ at fighting racism. 

It is not the first time that Vinicius Jr has been on the receiving end of racist attacks this year

The Brazilian has faced racism from rival fans on numerous occasions this season. Atletico supporters allegedly called him a ‘monkey’ when the sides faced each other in September. A Spanish prosecutor later concluded that the chants ‘did not constitute a crime’ as they ‘lasted only a few seconds’.

Further racist chants were unleashed by Valladolid fans in January, and Mallorca and Osasuna supporters the following month, leading to LaLiga filing complaints to the courts.

Following the Valencia incident, Real Madrid confirmed they will pursue legal action while condemning the chanting as a ‘hate crime’. The complaint has been filed to the State Attorney General’s Office.

The winger has scored 23 times in 53 games across all competitions for the Spanish giants.