Vinícius apologises for red card as Bellingham snatches late win for Real Madrid against Valencia

Vinícius Júnior has issued a public apology after being sent off in Real Madrid’s dramatic 2-1 victory over Valencia in the opening LaLiga fixture of 2025, Soccernet.football reports.

The match, held at the Mestalla Stadium, was a pulsating affair that saw late heroics from Luka Modric and Jude Bellingham secure all three points for Los Blancos.

Valencia drew first blood in the first half through Hugo Duro, but the second half unfolded as a whirlwind of events.

Real Madrid were handed a golden opportunity to equalise when Bellingham stepped up for a penalty, only to strike .... Kylian Mbappé thought he had levelled the score soon after, but his goal was ruled out for offside.

The turning point came in the 79th minute when Vinícius received a red card for a retaliatory blow on Valencia goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski.

The Brazilian reacted angrily to the dismissal and had to be restrained by teammate Antonio Rüdiger and coach Luis Llopis.

On X, Vinícius later wrote, “Sorry, and thanks team!!!!!!”

Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti defended his player, stating, “We think it wasn’t a red card; it was two yellows. The team showed great resilience after the penalty miss and disallowed goal. Our first half was poor, but the second half was extraordinary. We can’t afford to show such contrasting faces.”

Despite being down to ten men, Madrid roared back into contention. Substitute Luka Modric equalised in the 85th minute, setting the stage for Bellingham’s dramatic 95th-minute winner.

The England international, who had earlier missed the penalty, redeemed himself with a sublime performance, assisting Modric’s goal and Mbappé’s disallowed effort before his late strike.

“It was a great game from him,” Ancelotti said. “The missed penalty gave him extra motivation. His last 20 minutes were phenomenal, and the goal was a fitting reward.”

The victory propels Real Madrid to the top of LaLiga, two points clear of Atlético Madrid, albeit having played an extra game.

Ancelotti also confirmed the club’s intention to appeal Vinícius’ red card, adding, “I don’t know if they’ll accept it. We believe it wasn’t warranted.”

Bellingham’s penalty miss marked Madrid’s third unsuccessful spot-kick of the season, following similar misses by Mbappé against Liverpool and Athletic Club.

Ancelotti admitted, “It annoys me that we’ve missed three penalties. I’ll have to decide who takes them going forward.”

For Vinícius, this was his second red card at the Mestalla, the previous one occurring during a contentious match in 2023 marred by racial abuse from Valencia fans.

The fiery winger’s availability for Madrid’s next match remains uncertain, but his importance to the team remains undiminished.