Former West Ham United midfielder Lucas Paqueta has publicly supported Vinicius Junior after the Real Madrid forward accused Benfica’s Gianluca Pristiani of racist abuse during a recent Champions League match.
Paqueta, who recently returned to Flamengo after his spell at West Ham, gave an interview espn brazil In which he offered strong support to his former Brazilian teammate.
The comments quickly gained popularity in Brazil, not only because of the racism issue, but also because Paqueta once again opened the door for Vinícius to join the Rio club back.
For West Ham supporters, Paqueta’s words remain a reminder of his lasting influence and personality Their London Stadium chapter closed.
“Complete support” for Vinicius.
Speaking about the alleged incident, Paqueta was outspoken and emotional in his support of the Real Madrid winger.
“We talk a lot, but it’s still very sad to experience and see what happened to Vinny. People who know him understand his heart.” He said. “People blame him for what he should not bear. He is the victim. On behalf of all the Flamengo staff, Vinny has my full support.”
he adds: “We hope it can be cleared up as soon as possible. This has also been going on for a long time. Experiencing and going through such acts.”
The midfielder insisted he remains in constant contact with Vinicius. Both came through Flamengo’s academy and broke into the senior team together in 2017 before moving to Europe.
Playing agent after West Ham exit
However, Paqueta did not stop at solidarity. He also revealed that he is trying to convince Vinicius to return to Brazil in the future.
“We talk a lot and I told him: I am here now, now only you are missing. Come because we have to fulfill what we promised. I am sure that at the right time he will return to Flamengo.”He revealed.
Vinicius is under contract with Real Madrid until June 2027 and remains one of the most valuable players in world football. Any immediate move is unrealistic.
Nevertheless, Flamengo director Jose Boto has joked earlier There has been talk of targeting the winger, and the Brazilian media insist that the idea is treated internally as a long-term dream rather than a publicity stunt.
For West Ham, Paqueta’s comments underline two things. Firstly, his leadership voice remains strong within Brazilian football. Second, even after his Premier League spell, he continues to feature at the center of major narratives involving specific players.
Whether Vinicius will ever return to Rio with him is another matter entirely. But Paqueta has made one thing clear: If a comeback is ever possible, he will wait.
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