Alonso Discusses Vinícius Júnior’s Reaction After Substitution
MADRID — Xabi Alonso has stated that he will address Vinícius Júnior’s frustrated response to his substitution during Real Madrid’s 2-1 victory in El Clásico against Barcelona, which took place on Sunday.
Vinícius was substituted in the 72nd minute, with Rodrygo coming on in his place, while the match remained evenly poised at the Santiago Bernabéu.
The Brazilian forward reacted visibly, raising his hands in disbelief and expressing anger before walking past coach Alonso on the sidelines and heading down the tunnel.
The Brazil international later returned to the bench, where he was involved in a confrontation with Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal, who had inflamed tensions with his pre-match comments.
Vinícius was among five players booked during the post-match altercation, while Madrid’s second-choice goalkeeper Andriy Lunin received a red card.
In the post-match press conference, Alonso commented, “I want to emphasize the many positive aspects of the game, especially from Vini. We will certainly discuss his reaction, but I prefer to keep the focus on the overall importance of our performance.”
Alonso had previously kept Vinícius out of the starting lineup for three matches this season, even when available, including the recent win against Getafe.
Earlier this week, Alonso had described Vinícius as “fundamental” and “decisive,” expressing his desire to see the player happy.
Jude Bellingham netted the winning goal for Madrid, marking his third match-winning strike in El Clásico history. Alonso reflected on Bellingham’s recent performances, mentioning, “In the past week he’s delivered strong showings against Juventus and Getafe. With his return from surgery, we anticipated he would need time to find his rhythm, but he has exceeded our expectations.”
Real Madrid’s triumph over Barcelona places them five points clear at the top of the league table after 10 matches played.
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