Vinicius Jr reveals how Man City's Ballon d'Or prank motivated him

 

Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr has admitted that Manchester City's pre-match banner mocking his Ballon d'Or loss gave him extra motivation to perform in their Champions League clash. The Brazilian forward played a key role in Madrid's thrilling 3-2 win at the Etihad Stadium, proving his worth when it mattered most. Before kickoff, City fans unveiled a massive banner showing Rodri kissing the Ballon d'Or trophy, along with the words "Stop Crying Your Heart Out." The display was a dig at Real Madrid's decision to boycott the Ballon d'Or ceremony after Vinicius finished behind Rodri in last year's voting.

 

The bold move from City's supporters, however, seemed to backfire. Madrid twice came from behind, with Vinicius playing a crucial role. A last-minute goal from Jude Bellingham sealed an incredible win for the Spanish giants. Speaking to Movistar after the match, Vinicius admitted the banner only fueled his desire to deliver a top performance. "I saw it. I saw the banner," he said.

 

"Whenever the opposing fans do things like that, they give me more strength to have a great game, and here I have done it." Real Madrid and Manchester City have developed a fierce rivalry in the Champions League, having met in five of the last six seasons. Last year, Madrid knocked out City on penalties before winning their 15th European title. Pep Guardiola comments on Rodri Tifo City manager Pep Guardiola, meanwhile, claimed he had not seen the banner. Instead, he focused on his team's inability to close out matches this season.

 

City twice led, thanks to goals from Erling Haaland, but were undone by Madrid's relentless pressure. With the second leg set for next week at the Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid will now be favorites to advance. Vinicius and his teammates will look to finish the job in front of their home crowd.