Every touch booed: Real Madrid superstar faces hostile reception in first pre-season start

Vinicius Jr. made his first start of Real Madrid’s pre-season in the 1-0 victory over Deportivo La Coruña, but his return to the starting XI at Riazor came with plenty of noise from the stands.

The Brazilian was handed the captain’s armband for the Teresa Herrera Trophy clash, marking his first appearance at Deportivo’s home ground.

However, every touch of the ball was met with boos from a section of the home support.

For what it is worth, Vinicius is no stranger to hostile atmospheres away from the Santiago Bernabeu, and the reaction at Riazor did little to distract him from his role as one of the main attacking figures in the Real Madrid side.

Endrick and Alvaro Carreras were also targeted by whistles from Deportivo supporters, although their situations were linked to incidents involving players from Antonio Hidalgo’s team during the match.

Vinicius captains Real Madrid in first pre-season start

The Deportivo vs Real Madrid fixture was Vinicius’ first start of the summer, and Mourinho placed plenty of responsibility on the Brazilian despite him still building his match fitness.

Vinicius captained the team and was heavily involved in Real Madrid’s attacking build-up.

The instructions appeared clear whenever the side needed an outlet: look for Vinicius and allow him to influence the game.

The Brazilian frequently dropped into positions where he could receive the ball and help progress play.

However, a lack of competitive rhythm was visible at times, which was hardly surprising given that this was his first start of the pre-season.

One misplaced pass also allowed Deportivo to launch a counter-attack through Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who found himself isolated as the home side looked to break forward.

Vinicius was not at his sharpest in the final third, but the game was another important step in his preparation for the new Real Madrid season.

Carreras benefits from Vinicius’ involvement

While Vinicius did not have a major impact in front of goal, his involvement helped create space and opportunities for those around him.

Alvaro Carreras was one of the players to benefit from the Brazilian’s presence. The left-back used Vinicius’ passes to get into promising areas and trouble the Deportivo defence with several crosses.

The understanding between the two could become an interesting feature for Real Madrid, particularly if Mourinho continues to build attacks through Vinicius on the left side.

Both Vinicius and Carreras received boos from sections of the Riazor crowd, while Endrick was also targeted during the match.

The ongoing tensions in the Middle East has had widespread impacts across most financial markets and the repercussions are starting to show in the sporting world as well.

Earlier in the year, Formula One decided to abandon the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian races while the Qatar Grand Prix was moved to Malaysia.

Now, in football, the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has decided to move the Spanish Super Cup away from Saudi Arabia as well.

Super Cup to be held in Istanbul

In an official statement, the RFEF has confirmed that the 2027 edition of the Super Cup will be held in Istanbul, at the Olympic Ataturk Stadium.

This is a major departure from the earlier editions which have been held in Saudi Arabia – a move that helped RFEF generate a sizable amount of revenue.

Ataturk Stadium most recently hosted the UEFA Champions League final in 2023, which Manchester City won.

The RFEF has cited the 2027 Asian Cup as the main reason behind the decision to move the Super Cup to Istanbul.

But the ongoing tensions in the Middle East has likely played a key role as well given that most other sporting organisations have also started momentarily shifting their events elsewhere.

RFEF further confirmed that the Super Cup will return to Saudi Arabia in 2028.

Who will participate?

Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Real Sociedad are the four teams that will participate in the Spanish Super Cup 2027.

The tournament will be held from February 2 to Februrary 7 at the Olympic Ataturk Stadium in Istanbul, meaning the entire competition will be hosted in just one stadium.

It will be a must-win competition for Real Madrid, who have been humbled by Barcelona in recent years.

Barcelona, in fact, have won three of the last four editions, with Real Madrid last winning the Spanish Super Cup in 2024.

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