Xabi Alonso reacts to Real Madrid boos as Vinicius Junior adds to pressure

Real Madrid beat Sevilla 2-0 at home on Saturday, but tensions remain high at the Bernabeu with Vinicius Junior posting a cryptic Instagram message after being jeered by supporters

Vinicius Junior and Xabi Alonso have clashed at Real Madrid(Image: Getty Images)

Brazilian superstar Vinicius Junior has intensified the turmoil at Real Madrid by sharing a mysterious post on social media.

Although Los Blancos secured a 2-0 victory over Sevilla at home on Saturday to claim their third consecutive win, boss Xabi Alonso continues to face scrutiny with performances lacking conviction.

Madrid has squandered a five-point advantage over Barcelona at the summit of La Liga, while behind-the-scenes tensions haven't aided the former Liverpool midfielder, who only took charge in June after leaving Bayer Leverkusen. One of the most contentious aspects of Alonso's tenure has been his rapport with marquee players such as Vinicius.

During El Clasico earlier this campaign, the 25-year-old threw his toys out of the pram after being withdrawn and marched straight down the tunnel. Vinicius subsequently issued an apology to his teammates, the club, and president Florentin Perez, though he conspicuously omitted Alonso from his statement.

The Brazilian, who hasn't found the net since early October, was whistled by Real's own faithful when he was withdrawn against Sevilla.

Vinicius, who wore the armband, hit back on Instagram, sharing two images from the fixture with the caption: "..." - while also updating his profile picture to one featuring him in a Brazil jersey.

Alonso was questioned about the jeers after the match and responded: "The fans are sovereign and free to express themselves, but it was a complicated match.

"I value the team's moment, and with this time off, we are going to use the moment to rest and start with enthusiasm."

Despite being reduced to 10 men in the second half, Sevilla still managed to cause problems for Real.

A header from Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe's late spot-kick secured the victory for Alonso's players, who now have a two-week break.

January promises to be a crucial month for Real, with a Spanish Super Cup semifinal clash against Atletico Madrid in Saudi Arabia, followed by a potential final against either Barcelona or Athletic Bilbao.

Los Blancos will also have the opportunity to secure their place in the Champions League knockout stages.

"We are going to have some time to analyse and reflect," Alonso continued. "It was a complicated situation.

"We know we can do better, and we want to start the new year better. The priority was to win. There are things that have not turned out as we expected. Where we came from and these victories... now it must be accompanied by an improvement."