“That’s disrespectful” - Two RB Leipzig stars slam Vinicius Jr, claim referees don’t have the guts to punish Real Madrid star

RB Leipzig stars Benjamin Henrichs and Willi Orban have claimed that referees don't have the guts to punish Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Junior.

Los Blancos played out a 1-1 draw in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 tie against RB Leipzig on Wednesday (March 7). They progressed to the last eight with a 2-1 aggregate win.

VInisius Junior opened the scoring for Los Merengues in the 65th minute before Willi Orban equalized it in the 68th minute. Vinicius, however, was involved in a tangle with Orban during the game and was shown a yellow card for the offense.

Henrichs and Orban have now slammed referees for their approach towards the Brazilian. Speaking on the matter, Henrichs said (via Eurofoot on X):

"If one of our players went for the neck of a Real Madrid player, he'd be sent off 100%."

Orban, meanwhile, claimed:

"The referees don’t have the guts to put such players down. He grabs my neck with both hands. That’s disrespectful."

Vinicius Junior has often turned out to be a polarizing figure in modern football. That said, his on-field performances have been up to the mark. The 23-year-old has scored 15 goals and has provided seven assists in 26 matches across competitions for Real Madrid this season.

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti reacts to reaching quarter-finals

Real Madrid have yet again reached the UEFA Champions League last eight. Los Merengues are looking to win the competition for a record-extending 15th time this season.

Manager Carlo Ancelotti reacted to the result against RB Leipzig, claiming that he is happy to progress to the quarter-finals. Ancelotti told the media (via Los Blancos' website):

“We had to dig deep, more than we thought we might have to. It was difficult and we played badly. Now we're pleased to reach the quarter-finals. We're in a better position than ever because we're seven points clear in the league and in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. If I'd been told this at the beginning of the season, I'd have taken it.”

Los Blancos return to action on March 10 as they play Celta Vigo in a La Liga clash at home. They are top of the La Liga table with 66 points from 27 matches, leading second-placed Girona by seven points.