Vinícius Júnior showcased his talent by scoring two crucial goals to secure a 2-2 draw for Real Madrid against Valencia in a highly anticipated match marked by the Brazilian’s return to Mestalla Stadium, where he faced racial abuse last season.
Despite Vinícius’s heroics, the game ended in controversy as Jude Bellingham received a red card after protesting the referee’s decision to disallow what could have been the winning goal, with the official deeming that time had expired before Bellingham’s header.
Vinícius found the net in the 50th and 76th minutes, canceling out Valencia’s first-half goals by Hugo Duro and Roman Yaremchuk.
Last year’s racial incident against Vinícius sparked widespread condemnation and prompted soccer authorities to take action, yet abuse towards the player persists. While no reports of racial insults surfaced during the match, a section of spectators taunted Vinícius throughout the game.
Responding to the hostility, Vinícius gestured defiantly towards the Valencia fans after each goal, underscoring his resilience in the face of adversity.
Although Valencia previously banned three fans for life for racially abusing Vinícius, tensions remain high between the club, the player, and Real Madrid, as Valencia criticised the characterization of its fanbase as predominantly racist.
Despite the controversy, Vinícius’s exceptional performance earned praise from Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti, who lauded his decisive contributions to the team.
The draw leaves Real Madrid atop the league standings with a comfortable lead, poised for continued success in the Spanish league.
In other matches, Real Sociedad suffered a setback with a 3-2 loss to Sevilla, adding to their recent struggles, while Getafe was held to a 3-3 draw against Las Palmas, and Rayo Vallecano’s game against Cadiz was briefly halted due to adverse weather conditions.