Jose Juninho Edition — Significant Others: 13 Oct. 2026

Welcome to The Daily Merengue — a place where you can feel free to discuss all things football. Do not be alarmed by the overt RMCF bias. It’s in the name!

Shoutout to the Mods who do a fantastic job, Valyrian Steel, Ezek XI, KungFuZizou, NeRObutBlanco, Felipejack, and Juninho.

Writer’s Prelude. I probably should’ve canceled this DT as I may be suspended because of it.

Dear MM,

I was going to write today’s DT about Jude Bellingham and his otherworldly glory as well as some pitfalls that may come from his complete-style of play BUT recent trends from Madrid fans have compelled me to take a different path today. And this occurs less here (thankfully) but maybe this albeit small platform can be broadcast to the outer realms of Real Madrid society.

Simply put stop blaming significant others (e.g., Virginia) for the poor play of Real Madrid players. I’m actually just going to be supremely authentic and rant a tiny bit here and there so I’m not going to hold my tongue. Real Madrid fans (and football fans) generally have a quick disposition on punching down on others — particularly women — that is not only uncouth but downright embarrassing. Maybe this is a broader society conversation. Maybe this is something where I just need to talk to my fellow men who seem to spread this type of misinformation and behavior. Maybe this is just the downfall of humanity in 2026 and I need to dispassionately ignore this increasingly vocal group but someone in this abyss called the internet needs to say something.

It is not Virginia’s fault that Vini’s form has deteriorated. Did and does she have influence over him? Maybe. TBH I don’t know. I’m not part of their relationship. I’m not at their house. I’m not on their vacations. I’m not in their Whatsapp texts or group chats or emails. So I do not know. But what I do know is that Vini’s form started to falter in October 2024 after the Balon D’Or loss to Rodri and that occurred nearly 365 days before he started dating Virginia. I do know that Virginia isn’t on the pitch when Vini can’t dribble against a fullback or misses a shot or passes the ball twice straight to Bayern Munich leading to goals. I do know that they were dating during short periods where Vini quite frankly played like prime Vini for Xabi Alonso. And I do know that Virginia was in Brazil last Saturday when Vini and Camavinga went to the club after the Villarreal performance (tbh I don’t even care that they did — live your lives guys). I also really don’t care because Vini is a grown ass man. He isn’t a child. Vini is perfectly capable of making his own choices for his life, right or wrong, and facing the consequences of those choices. No one is putting a gun to anyone’s head…Like tweets like below are just dumb. She didn’t just invade his home like Europe in the middle ages. This isn’t an episode from Vikings or Game of Thrones.

I also know that this excuse conveniently was no where to be found last year when they dated instead it was Xabi Alonso being unfair, the lack of a contract extension, and Kylian “I’m not a Joselu” Mbappe. So it is not lost on me that now when 2 of those 25/26 issues are gone that a new one arises.

Like at some point Real Madrid fans, we need to we need to stop making excuses for many of these players because ultimately we’re doing them a disservice. I’m going to say this again just to make another distinction “we need to stop making excuses for these men because ultimately we’re doing them a disservice”. These men need to be held accountable for their poor form, professionalism, and play. And at this point there is really too much evidence broadcasting that central fact. It isn’t Xabi / Arbeloa / Mourinho. It isn’t people occupying each other’s space because they’ve had years on years to have taken the time to figure out chemistry issues or have a kumbaya dinner to put the team first. Even I need to better catch myself about Rodry not being a RW (which I still don’t think he is) because he’s quite frankly had at least enough time to have performed better. It’s simply that they either just aren’t that great of players or they aren’t committed to being as great as their talent. We as fans can’t want individual greatness more than the individual — it’s a wasted emotion. Additionally, the first step to actually being a better player / human is actually recognizing your flaws. How can you fix something when you’re not actually aware of it as an issue?

I understand this Jose Juninho Edition rant may just seem to come at the brunt of Vini but it’s just the recent stuff that has come up that’s on my mind. The same disparaging behavior has been broadcast towards the exes of Rodrygo, Militao, currently Mbappe’s girlfriend, and many others. Shoot maybe some of this is also coming from the FC27 ecosystem that is also just blaming the wrong culprits for why the game is the same as it’s been for nearly decade. So I guess today and maybe just due to my apathy of everything Madrid at this moment, I’ve decided that enough is enough. I’m tired of searching for excuses for these players when quite frankly they have more than enough time and money to actually fix a fair share of their on-field issues whether that relates to ego, Camavinga’s focus, Fede learning how to pass, Tchouameni being less afraid of the ball, Dean getting reds for last minute shirt pulls, Kylian’s lack of leadership and clinical, or Jude quite frankly being at times an ass on the pitch to his teammates or running for the sake of looking busy.

If Mourinho isn’t going to say it because of his employment stability and need to have dedicated players, and Flo isn’t going ay it because he just can’t see it, and MM true journalists may not say it because of their credentials then that’s fine. I will. This needs to stop. These players need to be held accountable.

Cheers or whatever,

J

“Juni is real…maybe too real.” — conquense

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