Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior's reaction to a Manchester City fan banner mocking his Ballon d'Or loss fuels his performance in the Champions League playoff first leg.
Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior responded to a provocative banner displayed by Manchester City fans before their Champions League playoff first leg match on Tuesday. As both teams entered the Etihad Stadium, City supporters unveiled a large banner depicting midfielder Rodri kissing the 2024 Ballon d'Or trophy with the message: 'Stop crying your heart out.
' This banner was widely interpreted as a reference to Real Madrid's boycott of the 2024 Ballon d'Or ceremony in Paris last October, following Vinicius' loss to Rodri in the prestigious award race.Vinicius, however, stated that the banner fueled his determination and provided him with added motivation to perform well against City. Speaking after the match, he said, 'I saw the banner from Man City fans... and it motivated me even more. Whenever rival fans do things, it gives me more strength to play a great game.'He further remarked on Real Madrid's performance, stating, 'It's difficult to explain what happens with Real Madrid in the Champions League. But you can see that we wanted to win. That is the mission, that is the plan.' Despite Vinicius' impressive display and Real Madrid's 3-2 victory, Manchester City face a challenging task to overturn the deficit in the second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu next week
Vinicius Junior Real Madrid Manchester City Champions League Ballon D'or Fan Banter Football
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