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Real Madrid's Brazilian forward Vinicius Junior is under scrutiny again by LaLiga
LaLiga has taken formal action against Real Madrid after a social media post by Vinicius Junior sparked controversy.
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The league, led by president Javier Tebas, forwarded a letter of complaint to the Madrid-based club, addressing the Brazilian winger's use of an illegal streaming service to watch a Champions League match.
Vinicius sparks LaLiga anger over piracy
The Brazilian forward, who missed Real Madrid’s 2-0 Champions League defeat to Liverpool due to injury, shared a snapshot on social media of the game being streamed illegally from his home in Madrid. This post didn’t go unnoticed, with LaLiga quick to voice its disapproval.
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Javier Tebas, a vocal advocate against illegal streaming and LaLiga’s president confirmed that watching the match without using Spain’s authorised provider, Movistar, constituted piracy.
“If it is in Madrid, and I think it was in Madrid, it is piracy. Access to the content to watch the Champions League in Spain has to be through Movistar Television,” Tebas remarked.
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LaLiga’s complaint sheds light on pirate streaming problems, which have grown by 36.5% in Europe between 2021 and 2023, according to the European Union’s Office of Intellectual Property.
Spain, notably, has been the most affected, accounting for 25% more illegal streams than any other European country. LaLiga estimates this issue costs the league €700 million annually.
LaLiga face uphill task battling piracy
LaLiga’s letter to Real Madrid calls for immediate action to prevent similar incidents involving high-profile players like Vinicius, whose influence worsens the piracy issue.
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While no direct fines or penalties have been disclosed for the Brazilian winger, the league made their stance on piracy crystal clear once again.
This is not the first time such an issue has arisen. Earlier this season, Barcelona's Fermin Lopez faced backlash and was fined after posting a screenshot of a pirate stream, which he later deleted.
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The strained relationship between LaLiga and Real Madrid means that collaborative efforts to address piracy are unlikely; however, with piracy continuing to plague Spanish football, further incidents could force both parties to find common ground in protecting their shared financial interests.
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