It’s true that many Brazilian forwards are known for their flair and skill on the field. Players like Vinicius Jr. and Neymar Jr. often showcase their talents, which can lead to them being fouled or even subjected to abuse. This style of play can be polarizing, and it’s not uncommon for players who exhibit such skills to face criticism or praise, depending on one’s perspective.
Hence, while someone, like Mikel Camps, Barcelona’s deputy spokesman, may express his stern disapproval of Vinicius Jr.’s playing style in a rather unnecessarily confrontational manner, others, like Joao Felix, appreciate and defend the “fun” style of play. These varied perspectives, as well as the passion they elicit, contribute to the sport’s diversity and excitement.
Joao Felix comes to Vinicius’ defense
Shakhtar replaced Joao Felix after he took a blow to his hip; hence, his availability or otherwise, for the El Clasico has been allayed. The Portuguese have also come forward to speak for Vinicius Jr, defending his much-criticised style publicly.
“What Vini does, of course, he likes it. He is a cheerful player. All the things he does that people say make players irritated; I don’t agree. That’s football, and football has those things. It’s not just about running, scoring goals and defending. I think there has to be a bit of joy in the game as well,” said the Portuguese player.
Vinicius has faced criticism from various quarters, including Mikel Camps, the deputy spokesman of the Barca board of directors, who voiced his discontent with the Real Madrid player’s “bicycles” and even suggested he deserved a “slap” for being a “clown.”
Joao Felix, further concluding on his Vini defence, said, “Both he (Vini) and I, Rodrygo, Pedri and Lamine bring it to the game. And I think that also brings people to the stadium and that motivates them to watch football,” added Joao Felix about Vinicius’ football on the pitch. Finally, the Portuguese rounded off his comments on the Brazilian with class. “Everyone is the way they are. I’m talking about dribbling and irreverence. We always need players like that in our teams”, he concluded.
Barcelona spokesperson under fire for comments on Vinicius Jr.
Barcelona has issued an apology for a tweet made by Mikel Camps, the club’s deputy spokesman, in which he suggested that Vinicius Junior “deserves a SLAP” and denied that the Brazil star had suffered racist abuse. The club’s director has promised that such incidents will not happen again.
Mikel Camp’s comments are considered insensitive, especially in light of the racial abuse recently suffered by Vinicius Jr. The Barcelona spokesperson took to social media during Real Madrid’s 2-1 win against Braga on Tuesday night. The statement reads, ‘It’s not racism. He deserves a slap for being a clown. What do these unnecessary and meaningless stepovers represent in the centre of the field?.’
Mikel Camp deleted the tweet after he faced a backlash resulting from his insensitive statement.
Barcelona director Rafa Yuste said on Wednesday: ‘If Vinicius is listening to me, I tell him that this will not happen again. Even if it was a slip of the tongue, it shouldn’t have happened. It was an unfortunate tweet.’
Rafa Yutse further noted that ‘If he deleted it, then that’s that,’ said the Barça coach. ‘We want a Clasico with fair play and mutual respect, and I will not be doing anything to increase tension.’
