Vinicius Jr. Faces Racial Chant as Albacete fans throw Banana, club expresses ‘Shame’ and ‘Pain’

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Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior endured racist abuse from a group of Albacete supporters outside Estadio Carlos Belmonte before the Copa del Rey Round of 16 clash on January 14, 2026.

Videos showed fans chanting monkey noises and xenophobic slurs like "you are a monkey, Vinicius, you are a monkey" as the team bus arrived for the match, marking another painful chapter in the forward's Spanish football journey.

Vinicius featured throughout the 90 minutes despite the hostility, but a fan escalated matters by hurling a banana onto the pitch during play. Second-division Albacete pulled off a stunning 3-2 upset, with substitute Jefte Betancor scoring twice late to knock out Real Madrid under interim boss Alvaro Arbeloa in what became a defensive meltdown for the favorites.

Club and League Reactions

Albacete quickly condemned the acts in an official release: "It is both painful and shameful that such disgraceful and abhorrent racist acts marred what should have been a magical evening. We are actively working to pinpoint the individual who threw the banana onto the field. We are seeking the help of the appropriate authorities and our supporters, whose assistance we request during this investigation." The club committed to lifetime bans for culprits at their stadium and full cooperation with probes.

La Liga voiced solidarity via social media: "LALA we any racist On the and off, there place for who hate Vinici, LALIGA stands with you." Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, sidelined for the game, posted on Instagram: "Enough of racism already. This is shameful."

The episode fits a grim timeline for Vinicius since joining Madrid in 2018, encompassing stadium jeers, a 2023 effigy incident, and landmark convictions like three Valencia fans receiving eight-month sentences in 2024, the first in-stadium racism penalties against him in Spain.