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Former Atletico Madrid and Chelsea striker Diego Costa has backed Real Madrid attacker Vinicius Junior following racist attacks against the latter last season.
Vinicius joined Real Madrid in the 2018 summer window and has since grown into one of the most crucial players at the club.
Costa drew parallels with his time in Spain when some rivals allegedly told him to go back to his birthplace in Brazil. He said during his interaction with Relevo:
"It's very difficult to comment on Vinicius, you know? I remember that when I came to play in the Spanish League, I heard my rivals tell me, 'Go to your country', 'Starve to death', 'Shi**y monkey'… I knew it was to get me out of the game, but I understand that they hurt a lot.
"Vinicius is a black boy (black in Brazil). The story is totally different, racism goes back a long time and people have suffered a lot, it hurts a lot. They treated black people very differently. There are many people who say that you have to pass, but no. You have to get over some of them, and it's easier for me to get over than for them, because nothing will replace what they've been through, the dogs lived better. Only they know what hurts.
"There are people who use that to do theater, but Vinicius doesn't, luckily he is at Real Madrid and represents a lot. He has strength and power, if he passed someone from Getafe or Rayo they would tell him, 'Stupid, go home because you get paid for that'. The Federation and society would sweat it.
"Vinicius is right to be fighting. He has been through everything, people told him that he was very bad, that he did not know what to do with the ball... And he looks at what he is today, nobody has given him anything. He has every reason to ask for equal treatment."
Costa made 216 appearances for Atletico across competitions in multiple stints, scoring 83 and assisting 36 goals.
Vinicius, on the other hand, has so far made 225 appearances for Real Madrid over the last five years, scoring 59 and assisting 64 goals in the process. He has helped the club win a UEFA Champions League and two La Ligas.
Diego Costa on former Real Madrid and Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho
Costa played two seasons under Jose Mourinho at Chelsea, also winning the Premier League once. He opened up on how it was to deal with the Portuguese tactician, telling Relevo:
"Tactically he is very smart. It was where I enjoyed the most, he is a very nice person when you win. When you lose, the rope breaks. There are coaches who know how to digest it before. It's f*cked up and you have to have a strong personality, but you really enjoy the season.
"With 'Cholo', even if you win, you don't have a life. The Prof believes that if you don't train for two days, you lose shape."
At the west London club, Costa scored 59 and assisted 23 goals in 120 matches.
