Kyle Walker revealed that the reason behind his embrace with Vinicius Junior full-time in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final was because the Brazilian tried to rainbow shoot him.
The competition down the attacking left for Real Madrid saw high bills one of the most essential if Los Blancos are to pass Manchester City in the semi-finals, with Walker widely regarded as one of the world’s leading right-backs.
And with the Brazilian forward in blistering form – and with a stunning goal in the first leg – many of the questions ahead of the return leg centered around the impending clash in Wednesday’s second leg.
However, after the match, the two shared a surprising embrace, with both seemingly excited to see their counterpart despite the tie being only halfway through.
But when asked about the reason behind their hug, Walker revealed there was a hidden warning from him to his opponent, before claiming the smiles would stop at the first whistle on Wednesday night.
Kyle Walker (right) shared a hug with Vinicius Jnr during full-time in Madrid last week
The defender claimed it was because Vinicius tried to ‘shoot a rainbow’ at him during the match
The 32-year-old defender was confronted with numerous questions during his pre-match press conference
“Well I went to hug him cuz he tried to give me a rainbow movie don’t try that cuz I don’t want to be a meme.
“No, but we had a good fight, I have a lot of respect for him, if it’s been a good game, a good fight, and at the end of that you show your respect.
“But when the whistle blows tomorrow, it goes out the window and it’s dog eat dog.”
Walker took on the Brazilian at the Santiago Bernabeu for 90 minutes and got a good idea of what’s to come at the Etihad on Wednesday night.
The 22-year-old has been one of the best players in all of Europe this season, with 23 goals and 21 assists in 53 games all season, and Walker will struggle to keep his foe quiet.
But for all his sparkling performances in the iconic white shirt this season, questions have been raised about the Brazilian’s temperament, particularly his tendency to go down easily.
And while the 32-year-old admitted that Vinicius Jr. is doing ‘what he has to’ to help his side succeed, the England veteran insisted it ‘doesn’t bother me’ and that he had faced tougher challenges at the game. pitch.
“I wouldn’t say (he’s) provocative,” the England star added.
The Brazilian striker played for Los Blancos in the first leg and scored the goal that put them off target
Walker compared the experience of taking on Vinicius to that of defending Kylian Mbappé at the World Cup
Vinicius Jr had put Real Madrid ahead with a powerful drive from distance that beat Man City’s Ederson’s dive
The Brazilian’s goal was Real Madrid’s first shot at Manchester City’s goal during the first half at the Santiago Bernabeu
“But he is a very good player, he does what he has to do to help his team.
“I try not to deal with players who try to excite me and talk nonsense.
“If he takes it easy and asks for yellow cards, that’s part of the game. You’re gonna get it, but let’s not take his football away from him. He’s a top player.’
But he remained confident about his chances, comparing the prospect to meeting France’s Kylian Mbappe at the World Cup, which was hushed up in the quarter-finals in Qatar.
“I take it like any other game, you have to show him respect.
“Just like Mbappé at the World Cup, you give them the respect they deserve. I represent City, the ambition for the club is huge.
“If I can’t compete with these top players, I shouldn’t be here. I have to make sure I meet the best and associate with the best.’
Walker and his Manchester City teammates are level with the favorites after holding the score at 1-1 in Madrid.
Kevin De Bruyne scored a long range screamer in Man City vs Real Madrid
Erling Haaland (red and black) and Antonio Rüdiger (white) experienced another terrifying duel that evening
According to Manchester City, possession dominated the first leg SofaScore but Real Madrid ended the game with more shots
Vinicius jr. had opened the scoring emphatically in the first half, with the visitors dominating the game despite trailing just after half an hour.
In the second half, City finally broke through the resolute Real defence, with star playmaker Kevin de Bruyne firing his side level, as the sides were now ready to reacquaint themselves with the Etihad at level.
Much of the build-up had focused on how Real would keep record-breaking striker Erling Haaland quiet that night, but Antonio Rüdiger handled the Norwegian admirably and the two are now set for the second round on Wednesday.
Los Blancos famously knocked Pep Guardiola’s side out in the last four leg in 2021-22, with Rodrygo’s stoppage time brace and a Karim Benzema penalty in extra time securing a 6-5 aggregate win for the Spanish titans sealed.