Vinicius Junior was the centre of attention as Real Madrid overcame fierce rivals Barcelona in a heated El Clasico clash.
Xabi Alonso's side emerged as 2-1 winners thanks to first-half goals from Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham before tensions hit boiling point.
Mbappe found the back of the net after seeing his first effort ruled out for offside before Bellingham tapped in from close range after Marcus Rashford and Fermin Lopez combined to equalise inside the opening 45 minutes. Not wanting to be overshadowed by on-field action, Vinicius Jr took centre stage after being withdrawn from the pitch.
After several impressive glimpses down the left flank, the Br azilian was withdrawn in the 72nd minute to be replaced by his compatriot Rodrygo Goes. That decision didn't go down well with him at all, as the 25-year-old displayed his emotions to the entire world.
One of the most-watched matches of the football calendar, the meeting of Real Madrid and Barcelona is never a low-profile event. That made it an even bigger talking point when Vinicius Jr started throwing his arms around and asking: "Me, me, me?" after seeing his number on the board.
His feelings were evident to everyone inside the stadium - as well as those watching on television - as he continued complaining as he walked past his manager and reluctantly acknowledged his replacement on the sideline. His anger didn't stop there, as Marca report he deliberately made eye contact with Alonso to hammer his point home.
Vinicius Jr then made his way straight down the tunnel as his emotions got the better of him. He would re-emerge shortly after to take his place on the substitutes' bench behind Alonso. The Real Madrid superstar was involved in further controversy as he clashed with Lamine Yamal after the full-time whistle.
Alonso didn't want to be drawn into speaking about the incident in detail, but was still asked for his thoughts following the huge win. The Spaniard kept his cards close to his chest as he suggested he would address the situation in private. He stated (per Football Espana):
"I don’t want to lose focus on what’s important. These are things that we will talk about. Within the great game that he has been, Vini has also contributed a lot. It is an important, deserved, even short victory. We had chances, the penalty… It gives us the feeling of a competitive team in big games."
“Within the squad there are different personalities. Now we will enjoy and, in due course, we will talk in the dressing room."