Real Madrid striker Joselu has told team-mate Vinicius Junior to improve his attitude after the winger picked up a ban for a petulant outburst.
Vinicius is currently serving a one-match ban after receiving his fifth booking of the season for a petulant outburst during Real Madrid's win over Osasuna. The Br azilian was shown a yellow card after remonstrating with the referee, gesticulating and laughing ironically after a decision went against him. Due to the international break, the ban means Vinicius won't actually play for Madrid again until Los Blancos take on Manchester City in the Champions League quarter-finals.
Joselu told El Desmarque: "Vini is a peculiar boy. Inside the locker room he is a very humble boy, very smiley. He is a boy who, from day one, has treated me very well since I arrived here. He is so decisive, such a good player, one of the best players in the world and I think that bothers rivals and the fans."
"It is clear that there are gestures that he can improve, but he is very young and we are all supporting him. There will be times when he has to decide how to carry out and deal with those gestures and those things, but he is a spectacular boy."
"In the locker room we all have a lot of affection for him and little by little it's going to bring out the positive side of him in all of this."
The forward then offered some advice to his team-mate: "The typical thing, especially when you are in a match: 'Don't leave us with ten.'"
"I think he is such a decisive and decisive player in every game, that he knows it. He knows that he can decide a match alone and I think he is very fundamental for us."
Joselu is not the only person to have urged Vinicius to improve his behaviour. Manager Carlo Ancelotti has said the Br azilian's attitude "could be bettter" in the wake of criticism from Barcelona legend Carles Puyol. Vinicius has rarely been out of the headlines this season after being at the centre of multiple racist incidents. The forward was subjected to more taunts against Osasuna, with Madrid having subsequently filing a complaint to the referee for "deliberately" ignoring the abuse directed at Vinicius.
Vinicius may be serving a domestic ban but he will be available to play for Br azil over the international break. The Selecao take on England at Wembley on Saturday and then head to Madrid for a clash with Spain at the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday.