JAKARTA - Vinicius Junior reiterated his desire to continue to be at Real Madrid after 2027, when his contract expires, although he admitted last year was very difficult.
The Brazilian striker, who has been booed by Real Madrid fans in recent matches, provided three assists and a goal in a 6-1 thrashing of AS Monaco in the Champions League on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, early morning WIB.
"The fans demand a lot from the players. I always have to give my best. Last year was difficult, I haven't been able to play as I want, but it's always important to keep moving forward."
"I'm also a human being. I'm upset with what people say, but every two or three days, we have the opportunity to prove ourselves," Vinicius told TNT Brasil.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid lost to eternal rivals Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup (Supercopa de Espana) final on January 11, 2026, which led to the dismissal of Xabi Alonso the next day.
Los Blancos were then knocked out of the Copa del Rey with a 2-3 defeat to Segunda Division side Albacete under new coach Alvaro Arbeloa on January 14, 2026.
The situation made Vinicius motivated to win when hosting AS Monaco in the Champions League.
"(This performance) means a lot. Considering everything I've been through in the last few days, the change of coach, the defeat in the final (Spanish Super Cup), being eliminated from the Copa del Rey."
"Playing for the biggest club in the world, the demands are very high. Sometimes we don't understand (the mockery), but we know the size of this team, the players we have here," said Vini.
Vinicius' impressive performance in the match against Monaco made the whistles at the Santiago Bernabeu slowly turn into cheers of support.
The attacker also insisted he did not need to respond to anyone's criticism after contributing heavily against Monaco.
"I never want to respond to anyone. I know my potential and where I can go. Of course, I'm sad and I never want to be mocked in my own home."
"In the last few games, I felt uncomfortable because every time I came out. I made mistakes and the fans booed me."
"They have a right, they paid a lot for the ticket. I don't understand, but I'm here to keep growing and always fight for this club that has given me so much," said Vini.
Some of Vinicius' critics believe he deserves some of the blame for Alonso's dismissal. The reason is that he had a falling out with Alonso during the Spanish coach's eight-month tenure.
However, Vini denied that Alonso's dismissal was related to his dispute.
"I have nothing to do with that. I can't do anything. The only thing I can do on the pitch is to go in and give my best."
"I won't always be in the best technical form, but I always give my best for the team and do everything to make everyone feel comfortable," he said.
Vinicius also stressed that he was not worried about the extension of his contract even though negotiations had stalled. According to ESPN reports, negotiations may not resume until after the 2026 World Cup.
"I want to stay here for a long time. There are also a lot of talks about extending my contract because I still have one year left."
"We are very relaxed about it. I trust (Real Madrid President Florentino Perez) and he trusts me. We have a very good relationship. We will solve the problem at the right time. We are not in a hurry to do that," he said.
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