(Image: Jean Catuffe/Getty Images). Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr has appeared to hit back at a banner displayed by Manchester City fans in the first leg of the Champions League play-off clash between the two teams.. In what is becoming a regular meeting in recent years, City took on the Spanish giants at the two battled it out for a place in the last 16 of the competition. In the new competition format both teams required the play-off to make it to the next stage.. The first leg took place at the Etihad Stadium last week. Before the game, City fans mocked Vinicius jr and his Real Madrid teammates with a banned showing Rodri with the Balon D’Or along with the words “Stop Crying Your Heart Out”.. The banner referred to the player and his teammates boycotting the Balon D’Or ceremony after it was revealed that Rodri had won the accolade ahead of him.. The banner has somewhat come back to haunt City, with the first leg ending in a 3-2 defeat. City looked to turn it around in the second leg, but a Kylian Mbappe hat-trick saw them fall to a 3-1 loss, with the aggregate score ending up being 6-3 to Real Madrid.. Following the first leg, where Vinicius Jr was named man of the match, he said that the banner had motivated him to play even better. He now seems to have sent another message on social media.. Taking to X, formerly Twitter. The Brazilian wrote: “Okay okay okay” along with a crying emoji, a message that appears to be a sarcastic dig at the banner.. Content cannot be displayed without consent. Article continues below. Following their exit from the Champions League, City will now have to brush themselves down for the weekend’s Premier League clash against title-chasing Liverpool. City’s concentration will now be on playing Champions League football again next season.. They also remain in the FA Cup and take on Plymouth Argyle at the start of the month in the fifth round of the competition.. Manchester City wrapped up the 2023/24 season with a fourth successive Premier League title, but they missed out on another Treble with defeat in the FA Cup final and Champions League quarter-finals. It’s now time for Pep Guardiola and co to turn their attention to the transfer window.. Our MEN team of City experts will be on top of all the goings-on at the Etihad this summer and beyond, and you can get the latest updates and inside information to your phone by joining our new free WhatsApp community. You can also join the 40,000 (and growing!) band of Blues fans who are following our WhatsApp channel.. –. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
