It has become one of Spanish football’s most charged running battles. Juanfe Sanz Pérez, the outspoken journalist and pundit of El Chiringuito de Jugones, has wasted no opportunity to demand Real Madrid pull the trigger and sell Vinícius Júnior—and the drumbeat is only getting louder.
At least in public, the breaking point came when Vinicius missed a key penalty against Valencia at the Bernabéu. Los Blancos lost the match 1-2. When their star player was taken out in the 77th minute, the fans at the Santiago Bernabéu booed him. Instead of defending the Brazilian, Sanz stood up for the fans. The breaking point, at least publicly, came after Vinicius fluffed a crucial penalty against Valencia at the Bernabéu—a match Los Blancos went on to lose 1-2. The Santiago Bernabéu faithful turned on their own star, greeting him with a chorus of whistles when he was substituted in the 77th minute. Rather than defending the Brazilian, Sanz backed the fans to the hilt.
Sanz said bluntly on the air, “No es casualidad,” meaning “It’s not a coincidence.” He said that the Bernabéu never turns on a player without a good reason. “The Madridista doesn’t want to hurt Vinicius.” “People whistle at him to wake him up,” he said, pointing to a long history of the stadium asking more from its stars.
Is everything about ego?
But Sanz didn’t stop there. The journalist wrote a harsh post on social media that shocked Real Madrid fans. He said the Brazilian was “wasting incredible talent because of a badly managed ego.” This line cut deep and sparked significant debate among fans.
He also made fun of an Instagram post Vinicius made to celebrate tying Ronaldo Nazário’s goal total. He said it showed that the winger didn’t really understand what the badge meant when he kissed it. Sanz said the timing was completely tone-deaf.
Then, on April 5, 2026, cameras caught a heated argument on air between Sanz and El Chiringuito founder Josep Pedrerol, who has been one of Vinicius’s most vocal supporters for a long time. Sanz made it clear that Vinicius is not “decisive” enough, at least not like Kylian Mbappé is. He said, “Mbappé has a goalscorer’s instinct that Vinicius just doesn’t have,” which led to a huge fight that went viral.
The Madrid Storm That Was Bigger
Sanz’s calls for an exit come at a time when the Brazilian winger is in the middle of a perfect storm. Sport Bild and Sky Sports say that Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez, who used to be Vinicius’s biggest supporter at the club, has run out of patience after a series of disciplinary issues and problems with head coach Xabi Alonso.
The flashpoint was when Vinicius openly protested his substitution during El Clásico and then insisted on taking a penalty meant for Mbappé during a 4-0 win over Valencia, which he later missed. This led to Alonso’s famous comment, “That bothered me.”
Madrid is said to have set Vinicius’s asking price at an incredible €250 million, which would break Neymar’s all-time transfer record of €222 million. Saudi Pro League clubs have also been making serious inquiries.
There have been problems even in the dressing room. Sanz broke the news in February 2026 that there had been a heated argument at halftime between two “heavyweights” during the Real Madrid vs Sevilla match. One of them said, “Even if you score goals, you’re not playing better.” The finger in the stands was pointing right at Vinicius.
A Club at a Fork in the Road
The numbers still tell a story of greatness—12 goals in 19 games in 2026 alone—but the story about Vinicius at Real Madrid has changed for good. The club is said to be in a “now or never” situation: they have to sell him this summer or risk losing him for free next year. His contract doesn’t end until 2027, and talks to renew it have stalled.
There was no doubt in Juanfe Sanz’s mind. For Pedrerol and other Vinicius supporters, it is still an outrage. No matter what, the argument is splitting Spanish football punditry right down the middle and showing no signs of stopping.
