The relationship between Vinicius Junior and Valencia fans was once again on edge at Mestalla earlier this month, and now the Brazilian will be present at the traditional NINO heat for the Les Falles or Las Fallas Festival. A Valencian-based artist, Victor Navarro, has constructed a figure of Vinicius under the title ‘The Golden Crap’.
Since Vinicius was racially abused at Mestalla, the Brazilian has received particularly vicious treatment from the home crowd, who resent the real Madrid’s reaction to the incident, accusing the entire stadium of chanting ‘monkey’ at Vinicius, and everyone with the same brush Like the three fans that Vinicius called to the crowd. The trio found guilty were later jailed after Valencia helped identify the culprits.
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti later apologized for the mischaracterization, but upon his return the following year, more racial abuse of Vinicius was heard outside the stadium when the Madrid team bus arrived. This January, Vinicius received a second red card of three in his career for robbing Dimitrievski in the face/neck at Mestalla again.
Navarro built the figure for the Ninots exhibition, which sees ironic and satirical public figures on display outside the City Museum of Arts and Sciences. The public chooses two to be saved from the ‘burning’ in March, and they go to the Falles Museum. Similar carnival practices occur in other countries and cities, such as in Cologne.
It’s not the first time Vinicius has been “present” at the festival, with more famous figures scoffing at the tradition, but for some it could be crossing a line given the serious racial persecution Vinicius has faced in recent years. Below the figure, Vinicius, mocked for missing the Ballon d’Or, is the following text.
“Vini is watering the garden with his tears, Madrid encourages him and awards him the Cagalló d’Or (golden trash); They are crocodile tears that will make you flee in a boat and of which a gentle defense is made, of course, by AS and Marca”, tell Diario Como.