Buyo's no-nonsense solution for Vinicius drama: 'I'd have grabbed him by the chest'
Former Real Madrid goalkeeper Paco Buyo reveals how he would've handled Vinicius's behaviour in El Clásico with old-school dressing room discipline.
Former Real Madrid goalkeeper Paco Buyo reckons Vinicius Jr needs a proper old-school talking-to, suggesting he would’ve grabbed the Brazilian by his shirt and benched him to solve his disciplinary issues in one fell swoop.
The straight-talking keeper’s solution
Buyo, celebrating his birthday during an interview on ‘El Programa de Ortega’, didn’t mince his words when asked how he would’ve handled Vinicius after the recent Clásico controversy:
“I’d have grabbed him by the chest and sat him on the bench,” the ex-Madrid stopper declared with characteristic bluntness.
In Buyo’s book, there are times when you need to lay down the law to prevent bigger problems festering in the dressing room. He even joked that if Vinicius threatened to complain to the president, Buyo would happily accompany him there.
Old school dressing room management
The former keeper harked back to his playing days at the Bernabéu, when senior players would nip any rebellion in the bud before it could escalate. Buyo firmly believes the veterans were crucial in maintaining discipline and respect:
- Players understood the weight of the badge
- Senior pros policed the dressing room
- No one was above the club, regardless of star status
“When you arrive at Madrid, no matter how big a star you are, you must learn what this club represents,” Buyo explained, suggesting this education is fundamental to Madrid’s DNA.
The Vinicius situation
For Buyo, the Vinicius debate goes beyond any single incident. He believes internal management is absolutely key to ensuring individual talent doesn’t derail collective success.
His philosophy boils down to a simple principle: protecting a player doesn’t mean letting them get away with everything – it means setting clear boundaries. The traditional Madrid approach, according to Buyo, has always been to correct issues internally first, then defend players publicly.
As Arbeloa takes the reins as the new Madrid manager, Buyo wished him luck while describing his appointment as “a logical option given the current coaching landscape.”