Vini Jr reveals he ‘couldn’t connect’ with Xabi Alonso at Los Blancos

Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior has talked about his relationship with ex-head coach Xabi Alonso, revealing that he struggled to establish a “connection” with Alonso during his time as Los Blancos boss.

Speaking ahead of the UCL match against Bayern Munich, Vini also defended his partnership with Kylian Mbappe, claiming their bond remains “incredible” despite the rumors.

“My time with Alonso was a learning experience; I improved as a person. However, I failed to connect with Xabi the way I connected with Arbeloa, and he is trusting me the same way that Ancelotti did,” the Brazilian forward shared.

Xabi used to substitute Vinicius often, which led to conflict between them, and the Brazilian showed his frustration publicly.

Vini Jr also spoke about the criticism about him and Kylian Mbappe being together on the pitch: “People always talk, but Mbappe has always scored goals and played for the team. I have a great connection with him, and we must show that against Bayern on Tuesday. We can’t change what people talk and write about us, but the most important thing is to be together and to help Real Madrid win.”

More on this topic:

Militao returns to Real Madrid squad that will face Mallorca

🚨 Vinicius Junior: "I feel in excellent shape right now. I went through some tough times this season, when I wasn't scoring goals and the fans were booing me, but it was all a valuable experience."

"I'm in good physical condition. Traveling with the national team changes things… pic.twitter.com/FGDvuHPVan

— Madrid Universal (@MadridUniversal) April 6, 2026