Barcelona centre-back Eric Garcia was heard taunting Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr as the Blaugrana thrashed their most bitter rivals at the Santiago Bernabeu
Carlo Ancelotti's men, still on a high from their Champions League victory over Paris Saint-Germain, welcomed a Barcelona side slowly turning the tide on their recent fortunes, for what promised to be a dramatic clash. It did not disappoint as the visitors ran riot, putting four past their hosts with no reply.
Former Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang opened the scoring for Barcelona, before defender Ronald Araujo doubled their lead before the interval. Ex-Manchester City forward Ferran Torres put the game beyond any doubt with his third just two minutes after the restart and Aubameyang's second sealed a dominant 4-0 battering.
Eagle-eyed fans spotted a moment towards the end of the clash, as former Manchester City defender Garcia took the opportunity provided by a four goal cushion to mock Vinicius Jr. Having been muscled off the ball by Adama Traore late on in the clash, Garcia poked fun at the Brazilian by sarcastically shouting: "You're going to win the Ballon d'Or next season? The Ballon d'Or?"
Garcia's taunts were in reference to comments made by Vinicius earlier this season, when he claimed that he believes he could win football's most prestigious individual award in the near future. Asked whether he could snag the 2022 edition of the gong, the 21-year-old told Marca: "I have to work hard [to win the Ballon d'Or]. I have to keep playing here, do things well and always be at my best.
"If I keep playing like this, of course I can win it, but the main thing for me is to win with the team and win many titles with Real Madrid."
HAVE YOUR SAY! Will Vinicius Jr one day win the Ballon d'Or? Comment below
His comments suggest he has surprised himself with his own progression, seeing as in 2019 Vinicius claimed he could not see himself winning the Ballon d'or for a while. "I see myself winning it at 25 or 26. At that age I'll be doing things very well."
The idea that Vinicius Jr could one day be crowned the world's best footballer is a viewpoint clearly shared by others at the Bernabeu. Speaking in November of last year, Ancelotti said: Vinicius today showed a quality that I don't think he's ever shown before.
"It's another step he takes to be one of the best in the world, Vinicius has the quality to win the Ballon d'Or one day. The important thing is he is focused on being efficient. When the chance comes, you have to take it."
Unfortunately for the Brazilian, Sunday night was not one of those times.
