Santi Cañizares has never been particularly shy about giving his opinion, and his latest comments about Vinicius Junior were anything but subtle.
The former Real Madrid goalkeeper and Champions League winner has questioned whether there was genuine interest in signing Vinicius this summer, suggesting the Brazilian’s growing list of controversies may have made other clubs think twice.
“Nobody wants a player like Vinicius at their club. I don’t think he received a single offer,” Cañizares said in comments that have reignited the debate over the Real Madrid forward’s future.
That is quite a statement about a player who, only weeks ago, signed a new contract keeping him at Real Madrid until 2032.
GettyJose Mourinho will have his hands full this season dealing with the media when it comes to Vini Jr.
Vinicius Controversy Follows Real Madrid to Espanyol
The timing of Cañizares’ comments is what makes them particularly interesting.
Vinicius had barely begun the new season before finding himself at the center of another controversy. Real Madrid won 2-1 at Espanyol, with Jude Bellingham scoring early and Carlos Espí grabbing the winner in the 90th minute. But Vinicius spent much of the evening dealing with challenges, confrontations and accusations of diving.
One early incident was particularly contentious. Espanyol’s Álex Calatrava brought Vinicius down from behind and appeared to catch him again while the Brazilian was on the ground. The referee took no action, despite protests from the Real Madrid players.
Later, Vinicius went down in the penalty area looking for a call, prompting Espanyol’s official social media account to mock him with a sarcastic post about diving. The incident and the reaction from Espanyol quickly became one of the main talking points from the match. Even José Mourinho chimed in about the incident.
The new Real Madrid manager defended his forward after the match, while also acknowledging that Vinicius has to control his emotions. “Vinicius is no saint, but what they’re doing to him is too much,” Mourinho said, arguing that opponents and supporters are repeatedly trying to provoke the Brazilian. Mourinho’s comments after the victory at Espanyol offered a very different perspective from those criticizing the forward.
Is Cañizares Right About Vinicius?
There is no question that Vinicius can be difficult for opponents to handle. There is also no question that he has sometimes made himself part of the problem. His reactions to fouls, confrontations with opponents, celebrations and occasional disputes with coaches have produced plenty of headlines.
But saying “nobody wants him” is a much bigger claim.
Real Madrid certainly didn’t act as though they wanted to get rid of him. The club announced earlier this month that Vinicius had signed a new contract through 2032, keeping one of the world’s most talented attackers at the Bernabéu for the foreseeable future.
And there have been reports of outside interest, including links to Arsenal and clubs in Saudi Arabia. Whether those clubs actually made formal offers is another question entirely.
That may ultimately be the point behind Cañizares’ argument. The issue isn’t whether Vinicius is good enough. Clearly, he is. His decisive goals in the 2022 and 2024 Champions League finals alone demonstrate the level of player Real Madrid have on their hands. The question is whether some clubs see the talent as worth everything that comes with it. For now, Real Madrid have made their answer clear – they want Vinicius.
The Brazilian remains one of the most dangerous attackers in world football, but he also remains one of its most polarizing figures. After just one game of the new season, the familiar cycle of fouls, frustration, confrontation and debate has already started.
And judging by Cañizares’ comments, it isn’t going away anytime soon.
Cañizares Questions Vinicius’ Future After Another Controversial Night