Real Madrid’s coach has defended Vinícius Júnior, who received a two-match suspension following a direct red card.
Real Madrid’s appeal was unsuccessful, and the young Brazilian forward will serve his suspension after being sent off during the match against Valencia. Carlo Ancelotti, coach of the record-breaking European champions, believes the punishment is unjust.
In last Friday’s La Liga match, Vinícius struck Valencia goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski. After reviewing the incident multiple times on the VAR monitor, the referee issued a red card in the 79th minute. At that point, Real Madrid was trailing 1-0 but eventually secured a 2-1 victory.
The Spanish Football Federation’s disciplinary committee handed Vinícius a two-match ban. However, the reigning FIFA Best Men’s Player avoided harsher penalties as the incident was not deemed excessively aggressive.
The suspension applies only to La Liga matches, meaning Vinícius is eligible to play in the Spanish Super Cup against Mallorca this Thursday. Ahead of that match, Ancelotti addressed the media, expressing satisfaction with the forward’s conduct on the field.
“When people say Vinícius provokes others, they overlook the insults he endures. We all heard what happened on the pitch. It’s tough for him. This suspension isn’t fair… We’re thrilled to have him with us in every situation,” said Ancelotti.
Last season, Vinícius was instrumental in Real Madrid’s triumphs in La Liga, the Champions League, and the Spanish Super Cup, earning him the FIFA Best Men’s Player award. He also finished as the runner-up for the Ballon d’Or.
Vinícius often finds himself in heated exchanges on the pitch. In his club career, he has been shown a red card only twice, both times against Valencia. The first instance occurred in May 2023 when he was subjected to racist abuse from a section of the crowd.
