Vinicius Junior in tears in a Brazil press conference.© PA Images

Vinicius Junior broke down in tears in a media conference when asked about racism ahead of Tuesday night’s friendly between Spain and Brazil.

The Brazil and Real Madrid forward has been the target of racist abuse throughout his time in the Spanish capital and the ‘One Skin’ match at the Bernabeu was arranged last June as part of an anti-racism campaign in support of the player on the back of the abuse he received in a La Liga clash against Valencia.

“I’m losing my desire to play”

The racist abuse has if anything increased this season though, and Vinicius couldn’t control his emotions when asked about it in the press conference.

He said: “It’s something very sad what I have been going through here. It’s tough. I’ve been fighting against this for a long time.

“It’s exhausting because you feel like you are alone. I’ve made so many official complaints, but no one is ever punished.

“More and more I’m losing my desire to play, but I’ll keep fighting.”

When asked again about the abuse by journalists, an emotional Vinicius Jr replied: “I’m sorry.

“I just want to play football, do everything for my club and my family and never see black people suffering.”

‘Obtaining a competitive advantage’

Real Madrid have raised the issue of the abuse aimed at Vinicius on a number of occasions, most recently claiming the referee in their game against Osasuna failed to include the fans’ derogatory chants in his report.

The club issued a statement last week in which they announced that they has filed a complaint with the Disciplinary Committee of the Royal Spanish Football Federation against Martinez Munuera, who they claim ‘omitted, voluntarily and deliberately, the insults and vexatious screams repeatedly directed at our player Vinicius Junior, despite being insistently warned by our players at the same time they were taking place.’

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It was claimed that the fans could be heard chanting “Vinicius, die” throughout the game.

Madrid explained that ‘it has conveyed the insults and vexatious screams to the State Commission against Violence, Racism, Xenophobia and Intolerance in Sport’ with the aim of ‘that those who uttered them are identified and punished.’

La Liga issued a statement in response, in which it confirmed its commitment to eradicate all forms of intolerance from football, expressed ‘unequivocal support’ for the referee and claimed this was simply the latest attempt of many by Real Madrid to ‘obtain a competitive advantage’.