"It has become a trend to insult him" - Former Barcelona academy star calls out recurring fan hostility aimed at Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr

Former Barcelona academy star Keita Balde has hit out at the recurring fan hostility aimed at Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Junior. The Senegalese forward claimed that supporters showcasing their hatred for the Brazilian winger has become a disturbing 'trend'.

In Madrid's recent LaLiga fixture against newly-promoted Real Oviedo, Vini was surprisingly dropped to the bench by manager Xabi Alonso. He came on as a 63rd-minute substitute for Rodrygo, bagging a goal and assist to secure a comfortable 3-0 win for his side.

Despite Vini's impressive cameo, the major talking point from the game was a section of fans directing racist chants towards him and Frenchman Kylian Mbappe. The 23-year-old Los Blancos forward has been involved in several such incidents during his Real Madrid career and has often called for more stringent regulations on public forums.

In an interview with El Chiringuito, Balde gave his opinion on the matter, even calling out some clubs and cities where such occurrences are prevalent. The 30-year-old, was a part of Barcelona's famed La Masia academy between 2004 and 2011, said (via Madrid Universal):

"Vinicius? Receiving insults for 90 minutes isn't pleasant at all. It has become a trend to insult Vini in Osasuna, Barcelona, Valencia, etc. If you are looking for a big reason as to why (the racism is prevalent), well, there is none."

Vinicius and Real Madrid will next be seen in action against Mallorca in their upcoming LaLiga fixture on Saturday (August 30).

Barcelona and Real Madrid look like the early favourites to win LaLiga

Despite looking shaky at times, Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid have started their 2025-26 LaLiga campaign on a positive note.

The Catalan giants beat a nine-man Mallorca side 3-0 to win their opening league game of the season. However, in their second fixture, against newly-promoted Levante, they went down 2-0 in the first half.

Hansi Flick's side showed incredible character and brought the game back to level terms within seven minutes via Pedri (49') and Ferran Torres (52'). Their persistence paid off, as they forced an own goal in the 91st minute to win the game 3-2 and maintain their perfect start in LaLiga.

On the other hand, Real Madrid dominated Osasuna in their league opener but were unable to get a solid effort on goal. Superstar forward Kylian Mbappe eventually broke the deadlock from the penalty spot in the 51st minute, and Los Blancos held on for a nervy 1-0 win.

Their second game was a much more straightforward affair. A brace from Mbappe and a goal from substitute Vinicius Jr secured a comfortable 3-0 win over Real Oviedo.

With both Barcelona and Real Madrid in incredible form, it looks increasingly likely that the El Clasico rivals will compete for the 2025-26 LaLiga title.