Vinícius sets the Espanyol stadium alight: provocation of the fans and a clash that threatens Real Madrid | Goal.com

Published on 22 Aug 2026 | Reading time: 1 minute

Vinicius Junior lit the fuse at the RCDE Stadium, dragging himself into more than one flashpoint from the opening minutes and turning himself into one of the biggest talking points of Real Madrid's clash with Espanyol, all of it away from the football.

It took just three minutes for the trouble to start. The Brazilian forward clashed with Cala after being kicked while on the ground. The friction between the pair flared again soon after, and around the half-hour mark Vinicius squared up to another Espanyol player.

His running battles were not confined to the home side's players. Vinicius gestured towards the Espanyol supporters, egging them on to keep up their chants and provocations. They answered him with a collective chorus titled "beach ball".

Things boiled over once more between Vinicius and Cala when the referee reached for his pocket and booked them both after a fresh altercation. The Real Madrid man was furious. He marched towards the official to protest at the punishment.

His team-mates moved in fast to drag him away and cool the situation, wary that he might lose his head and collect a second card that would end his afternoon early. The tension had gripped the game from the very first whistle.

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