Vinicius Apologizes Over Red Card Against Valencia, Real Madrid To Appeal

Real Madrid winger, Vinicius Junior, expressed his regret following a red card received during their impressive comeback victory against Valencia on Friday night, January 3.

In their first La Liga match of 2025 at the Mestalla, Real Madrid faced an early challenge as Hugo Duro put Valencia ahead in the first half. The second half proved dramatic, with Jude Bellingham missing a penalty and Kylian Mbappé having a goal disallowed for offside.

Vinicius was shown a red card after an incident involving Valencia goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski. However, the team’s resilience shone through, with substitute Luka Modric equalizing in the 85th minute and Bellingham scoring the winning goal in added time.

This victory positioned Real Madrid at the top of the Liga table, two points ahead of Atlético Madrid, albeit having played one more match. After the game, Vinicius took to X to apologize, stating, “Sorry, and thanks team!!!!!!”

Meanwhile, Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti defended Vinicius Jr., asserting that the red card decision was erroneous. He confirmed that the club plans to appeal the sending-off, explaining that Dimitrievski had pushed Vinicius, prompting his reaction.

“It was not a red card for Vinicius Jr. We will appeal,” Ancelotti commented. “The goalkeeper pushed him, and Vini responded. It should’ve been a yellow for both and that’s it.”