Vinícius Júnior has issued an apology after being sent off in Real Madrid’s dramatic 2-1 victory over Valencia on Friday. The Brazilian winger took to social media to express his remorse, posting “Sorry, and thanks team!!!!!!” on X after the match.
The game was a rollercoaster of emotions for Real Madrid, who fell behind to a first-half Hugo Duro goal. Things took a turn for the worse when Vinícius was shown a straight red card in the 79th minute for striking Valencia goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski. This followed a missed penalty by Jude Bellingham and a disallowed goal for Kylian Mbappé.
Despite being reduced to 10 men, Real Madrid staged a remarkable comeback. Substitute Luka Modric levelled the score in the 85th minute before Bellingham redeemed himself with a dramatic stoppage-time winner.
The victory sends Real Madrid top of La Liga, two points clear of Atlético Madrid, although they have played a game more.
Vinícius’ red card was his second dismissal at the Mestalla, having also been sent off in a match against Valencia in May 2023. On that occasion, he had been subjected to racial abuse from home fans.
Manager Carlo Ancelotti expressed his disagreement with the decision, stating, “We think it wasn’t a red card, it was two yellows… It was a touch from Dimitrievski and then a push from Vini. I think two yellows would have been enough.”
Ancelotti confirmed that Real Madrid will appeal the red card, hoping to have Vinícius available for their next game.
Despite missing a penalty, Bellingham played a pivotal role in Real Madrid’s victory. He provided the assists for both Modric’s equalizer and Mbappé’s disallowed goal, before scoring the winner himself.
Ancelotti praised Bellingham’s performance, stating, “A great game from him. The missed penalty gave him extra motivation. His last 20 minutes showed what only he can do… [the goal] was a reward for the game he had.”
While pleased with the victory, Ancelotti expressed his frustration at Real Madrid’s missed penalties this season. This was the third time they have failed to convert from the spot, with Mbappé also missing against Liverpool and Athletic Club.
“It annoys me that we’ve missed three penalties,” Ancelotti said. “I’ll have to choose who’s going to take them.”
Despite the penalty concerns and Vinícius’ red card, Real Madrid’s resilience and ability to secure victory under pressure highlights their championship credentials.
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