Ronaldo defends Vinicius Junior from racial abuse by Real Valladolid fans

Brazil legend and Real Valladolid owner Ronaldo has hit out at fans who racially abused Vinicius Junior during their recent loss to Real Madrid.

The winger was substituted in the closing stages of Real Madrid’s 2-0 win at the Estadio Municipal Jose Zorrilla on Friday and received a torrent of racist abuse from home fans as he left the pitch.

Ronaldo, who played for Madrid in the 2000s and became the majority shareholder of Valladolid in 2018, took to Twitter to defend Vinicius.

“Regrettable, disgusting, shameful, inadmissible. Racists and xenophobes do not represent us. Vinicius Junior, all my support, respect and affection,” Ronaldo wrote.

“Real Valladolid is available to the authorities to collaborate in the investigation so that those responsible are removed from the club.”

Following the match, Vinicius himself tweeted: “Racists continue to go to stadiums and watch the biggest club in the world up close and La Liga continues to do nothing…I will continue with my head held high and celebrating my victories and those of Madrid. In the end it’s MY fault.”

La Liga have since made a formal complaint to Spain’s Anti-Violence Committee, which deals with cases of discrimination. However, they already cleared Atletico Madrid fans of wrongdoing for clearly racially abusing Vinicius already this season.