Espanyol hit out at Vinícius Júnior on social media -- without naming the player -- after the Real Madrid star was caught up in controversy during their dramatic 2-1 LaLiga win on Saturday.
Madrid took all three points in their first game of the season at the RCDE Stadium, thanks to a 90th-minute winner from substitute and summer signing Carlos Espí, but much of the post-match focus was on Vinícius.
Coach José Mourinho said the winger was a victim of "bullying" after he clashed with a number of Espanyol players -- picking up a yellow card after one first-half confrontation -- while a post from Espanyol on X referenced a second-half incident in which Vinícius appealed for a penalty after going down inside the box.
"How many dives before you get a second yellow card?" the home side posted shortly afterwards. "I'm asking for a friend."
An early challenge from Espanyol goalscorer Alex Calatrava on Vinícius also went unpunished, when the winger appeared to kick the Brazil international as he fell to the floor.
Speaking after the match, teammate Thibaut Courtois was asked about Espanyol's post.
"I'd like to see all the tweets that teams put out when they play us, when they play against others," Courtois said. "Cala[trava] should have been sent off. You have to look in the mirror and at your own players... All forwards go down easily. It's easy to only look at one side."
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Vinícius was strongly linked with a move away from Madrid this summer, before agreeing a new, six-year contract extension.
Speaking last season when facing Madrid as Benfica coach, Mourinho criticised Vinícius' behaviour, but on Saturday he acknowledged a different approach.
"Obviously I'm taking the risk that you take my words from months back, when I was Vini's opponent," Mourinho said. "Now Vini is [my player]. Vini isn't a saint, but what people do to him is too much. It started in the first minute... It's a frustration for him. He has to have great emotional control."