Barcelona manager Xavi and vice-president Rafa Yuste have publicly criticized board member Miquel Camps for his unprovoked attack on Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Junior, vouching that such an incident will not occur again.
Barcelona Board Member Miquel Camps Attacked Vinicius Junior
Barca board member Camps penned an explosive post on social networking platform X (formerly Twitter), criticizing Vinicius Junior’s flamboyant style of play. Shortly after Real Madrid’s 2-1 victory over UEFA Champions League rivals Braga on Tuesday (October 24), Camps attacked Vinicius Junior, invalidating the Brazilian’s struggles against racism and suggesting he was subjected to such behavior due to his showboating.
He even went on to call Vinicius Junior a “clown”, adding that he deserved to be slapped for playing in such a manner. His post, which was deleted soon after, read:
“It’s not racism, he deserves a slap for being a clown and a joker. What do these unnecessary and meaningless stepovers represent in the center of the field?”
Xavi and Yuste Condemn Camps’ Comments
With the first El Clasico of the season just a couple of days away (October 28), the tweet has increased the animosity between Real Madrid and Barcelona fans. After Barca’s win over Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday (October 25), Xavi criticized the post, saying he was not a fan of anything that increased tension between the two arch-rivals.
The Spanish tactician said:
“I don’t have to say it, it’s been deleted, that says enough, that’s that.
“I don’t like anything that raises the tension, not (Madrid attempts) to condition the referees, nor this ‘tweet’; I like fair play, and mutual admiration.”
Yuste has also come out in support of Vinicius Junior. He claimed that such a post should not have come from Camps, even if it was a mistake. Furthermore, Yuste assured that no such posts will ever come from Barca’s end.
Yuste, as quoted by Diario AS, said:
“Even if it was a mistake, it did not have to be done. It is an unfortunate tweet. If you are listening to me Vini, it will not be repeated.”
In light of the tweet, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez would reportedly not be traveling to Barcelona for El Clasico.
Currently, only a point separates Los Blancos (1st) and the Blaugrana (3rd). It will be interesting to see what impact this latest scandal has on the high-octane fixture on Saturday.
