Real Madrid News
Neymar sends out message of strength to Real Madrid superstar: ‘The dance was for him’
Vinicius Jr. had the last laugh against Benfica earlier this week, not only knocking them out of the competition but also scoring in the second leg as well to hand Real Madrid the win.
The player, in Kylian Mbappe’s absence, took up leadership and responsibility in Real Madrid’s attack and showed his class against an opposition that had insulted him not too long ago.
After all, even if Gianluca Prestianni’s comments are taken as a one-off, Jose Mourinho and the Benfica squad’s management of the situation and shameless rallying in support of their player only aggravated the situation.
Neymar’s show of support
Last night, Brazil superstar and former Barcelona and PSG player Neymar Jr. scored a stunning brace for his club Santos and guided them to a 2-1 win over Vasco Da Gama.
Neymar Jr hits the Vinicius Jr celebration after scoring for Santos! 🕺🏾🇧🇷@TeamNey10 🎥 pic.twitter.com/CK2NJiXMzO
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) February 26, 2026
After scoring on the night, he notably headed straight over to the corner flag and repeated the same celebration that Vinicius Jr. brought out against Benfica, the one that triggered serious outrage.
Speaking to the media after the game (h/t Madrid Xtra), Neymar dedicated his goal and celebration to the Real Madrid star and sent out a strong message of support.
“The dance was for Vinícius Jr. When he scored his first goal there in Portugal and faced insults and racism and all that, I said to him: When you score a goal, celebrate in the same way, because if I score a goal, I’ll do the same thing.”
It is, thus, not surprising in the slightest that Vinicius brought out the same celebration against Benfica when he scored in the second leg as well, especially with his compatriot and close ally Neymar handing him some much-needed support and advice.
Real Madrid opted to renew Antonio Rudiger’s contract this past summer to keep him at the club for one more season.
The 33-year-old veteran defender, though, has not been performing at his best, with physical problems taking their toll and age starting to catch up with him.
As such, the expectation is that Los Blancos will not extend his contract again when his current one expires on 30 June 2027.
Tottenham eye Antonio Rudiger
And, according to reports relayed by AS, Premier League giants Tottenham Hotspur are plotting a free-transfer swoop to sign Rudiger in the summer of next year.
The north London club are understood to be keen on reinforcing their backline next year and see the German defender as an option, given his experience in the Premier League and the fact that he would be available for free in the summer.
So far this season, Rudiger has played only five games for Real Madrid, amounting to a total of 396 minutes.
The 33-year-old has even chipped in with two goals, including the all-important winner in the 4-3 comeback victory over AS Roma on Wednesday night.
Time to move on?
Despite Rudiger being a hugely respected figure in the Real Madrid locker room, he is currently the third-choice centre-back for Jose Mourinho.
After all, summer signing Ibrahima Konate and Dean Huijsen have been preferred by the manager so far in the new season.
Moreover, with Eder Militao set to return imminently after a lengthy injury layoff, Rudiger’s game-time could be impacted further.
Given the situation and factoring in Real Madrid’s plans to sign another centre-back next summer, it is pretty much evident that Rudiger does not feature in the club’s plans for beyond this season.
As such, a separation of ways seems pretty likely when his contract expires, and Tottenham are now positioning themselves as early suitors to sign Rudiger as a free agent in 2027.
