Vinicius and Bellingham face Bernabéu wrath again as tensions simmer
Real Madrid stars Vinicius Jr and Jude Bellingham singled out by unhappy home crowd following Benfica disaster, though atmosphere less hostile than previous matches.
The Santiago Bernabéu faithful made their feelings crystal clear once again, with Vinicius Jr and Jude Bellingham bearing the brunt of fan frustration before the Rayo Vallecano clash.
Pre-match hostility
The atmosphere turned frosty from the moment Real Madrid’s players emerged for their warm-up, with whistles ringing out from the early arrivals a good half-hour before kick-off. The discontent continued as Álvaro Arbeloa’s men retreated to the dressing room before the match.
When the stadium announcer read out the team sheet, it was Vinicius and Bellingham who copped the most grief from the crowd, while other players and coach Arbeloa received a more measured response. The only brief respite came during a tribute to Carlos Alcaraz for his Australian Open triumph, which momentarily united the stadium in applause before normal service resumed with more whistles preceding the first whistle.
A different atmosphere
Unlike the toxic reception against Levante two weeks ago, this display of discontent seemed more restrained. Back then, following the Copa del Rey exit and Supercopa final defeat, the Bernabéu turned properly nasty, with white handkerchiefs waving and even the usually loyal animation section receiving stick for trying to support the team.
This time around, while certain players like Huijsen and Camavinga felt the crowd’s displeasure with their first touches, there were signs of the crowd wanting to move forward. When Vinicius produced a quality first action, significant portions of the stadium applauded him – a stark contrast to his previous treatment.
Signs of a potential truce
The mood remained tense, especially after Rayo created a clear chance in the fifth minute, but many fans seemed to be pushing for reconciliation. When Bellingham was forced off through injury early in the match, he received more applause than whistles – suggesting at least some fans are ready to back their team again.
The Benfica defeat that knocked Madrid out of the top eight in Europe clearly still stings, but there’s a sense that both players and supporters are searching for a way to move past the recent discord. Whether this tentative truce holds likely depends on results in the coming fixtures.
The relationship between the Bernabéu and this Madrid team remains complicated, with even the directors’ box not immune to criticism – previous matches featured chants of “Florentino, resign!” directed at the club president. For now, the players will need to earn back the full support of their home crowd.