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After the Champions League match, Kyle Walker discloses the humorous cause for his embrace with Vinicius Junior.
Kyle Walker has acknowledged that, in order to avoid becoming a meme, he hugged Vinicius Junior during Manchester City’s UEFA Champions League semifinal first leg against Real Madrid.
Last Tuesday, the England international and Vinicius engaged in a tightly contested duel out on the wing. In a game that ultimately ended in a 1-1 tie at the Santiago Bernabeu, Vinicius outplayed Walker for the majority of the time and scored an incredible goal.
Walker and Vinicius shared one of the game’s most memorable exchanges when the latter tried an outrageous rainbow flip over the Man City star. Vinicius managed to get the ball over Walker’s head, but he was unable to finish the move and could not regain control.
Walker talked about the duo hugging after the game, despite the intensity of their heated exchange during the match, ahead of the return leg at the Etihad Stadium.
“Well I went to hug him, because he tried to rainbow flick me, don’t try that, because I don’t want to become a meme! No, but we had a good battle, I have a lot of respect for him, it when it has been a good game, a good a battle, and at the end of it, you show your respect,” Walker said at a press conference.
“When the whistle goes tomorrow though, that goes out of the window, and it’s dog-eat-dog.
“He is a very good player, he does what he needs to do in order to help his team. I try not to get involved with players trying to wind me up, and trash-talking.
“If he’s going down easy and asking for yellow cards, it’s part and parcel of the game. You’re gonna get it, but let’s not take his football away from him. He’s a top player.”
On Wednesday, the second leg of their UEFA Champions League semifinal will take place, and Walker and Vinicius will renew their rivalry.