"I copied them" – Vinicius Junior comments on his provocative celebration after scoring against Manchester City

According to Vini, he had no intention of showing disrespect.

Details: The controversial Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior commented on his provocative celebration after converting a penalty against Manchester City in yesterday’s Champions League round of 16 second-leg clash.

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In the 22nd minute, Vinicius broke the deadlock with a precise strike from the penalty spot, then sprinted to the corner flag and made the "crying" gesture toward Manchester City fans. However, as the Brazilian himself explained, it wasn’t meant as disrespect:

"Remember Manchester City fans’ tifo last year?" "Football gives you a second chance… and this time I scored." "I didn’t want to disrespect the Manchester City fans." "Last year they had their fun… this is football! So today I copied them." – said Vini.

Nevertheless, despite his explanation, Vinicius once again faced a wave of criticism from fans, who accuse the Brazilian of provocative behavior and disrespecting his opponents.

Previously, Vinicius had already made headlines for a similar celebration after scoring against Benfica, when he danced provocatively near the corner flag emblazoned with the Eagles’ crest.

Reminder: Favorite team. Vinícius Júnior equals personal record for most goal involvements against one team in the Champions League