VINICIUS JR has revealed how Manchester City fans’ trolling tifo massively backfired last night. The Real Madrid star joined teammates at the Etihad for the first leg of their Champions League play-off against Pep Guardiola’s men. The meeting marked the fourth successive year the two giants had met in Europe. And it was Real who came out on top after Jude Bellingham scored a dramatic late winner to down City 3-2.
![[Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid reacting during a game.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/vin-cius-j-nior-real-971215743.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
But before kick-off, there was a major talking point as home fans unfurled a banner mocking Vinicius Jr and Real fans. It showed a picture of City star Rodri kissing his Ballon d’Or trophy along with the words: “Stop crying your heart out.”. The tifo was in reference to October’s Ballon d’Or award ceremony, which saw Rodri beat Vinicius Jr to football’s top individual prize. Real Madrid chiefs were left incensed when they discovered their Brazilian maestro had finished runner-up.
And the Spanish club ended up boycotting the award ceremony as Rodri, who was injured at the time and remains sidelined with the same ACL problem, collected his award on crutches. City’s tifo looked to have worked a treat as they twice went ahead, with Erling Haaland’s second goal coming from the penalty spot in the 80th minute. JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS. But after Kylian Mbappe had netted the first equaliser, former City youngster Brahim Diaz levelled things up again in the 86th minute before Bellingham struck his 92nd minute winner.
The England star was teed up by Vinicius Jr for the defining strike. And Real’s flying winger now admits he was fired up to perform after seeing City fans’ tifo in the stands. He said: “I saw the banner. Whenever the opposing fans do things like that they give me more strength to have a great game and here I have done it.”. On the win, Vinicius Jr added: “They know our history, everything we do in this competition.
