La Liga: Vinicius of Real Madrid Faces Potential 12-Match Suspension for Misconduct
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Madrid, Jan 4 (NationPress) Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior is at risk of receiving a suspension lasting from four to twelve matches for his actions against goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski during the 79th minute of the La Liga encounter with Valencia, which ended in a 2-1 victory for Real Madrid at Mestella. Following the incident, the Brazilian player was sent off the field. According to the regulations of Spanish La Liga, such aggressive behavior without attempting to play the ball is subject to suspension.
As reported by the Spanish media outlet Mundo Deportivo, it is anticipated that Vinicius may face the minimum penalty of four matches. This could mean he would miss the Supercopa de Espana semifinal against Mallorca, and should his team advance to the final, he might also miss the match against Barcelona or Athletic Bilbao.
Vinicius has been a part of Real Madrid since July 2018. During his tenure at the club, he has played 286 matches, netting 97 goals and providing 83 assists. He was recently honored as the best player of 2024 at the FIFA Best Awards.
Real Madrid triumphed at Mestalla during La Liga Matchday 12, moving to the top of the standings. This match had been postponed due to flooding issues. Although trailing 1-0 at halftime, the defending champions demonstrated their resilience in the second half. Despite being down a player due to Vinicius's sending off in the 79th minute, Ancelotti's squad turned the game around with goals from Modrić in the 85th minute and Bellingham in injury time.
The match did not feel like the first game after the Christmas break, as both teams played at a high tempo and created numerous opportunities. The opening chance came for Ancelotti's side within five minutes, when Lucas Vazquez set up Valverde, whose powerful attempt was blocked by Dimitrievski.
Valencia responded with two opportunities, both thwarted by Courtois, first saving a shot from Hugo Duro in the 7th minute and then stopping a one-on-one with Foulquier five minutes later.
The pace of the game remained relentless, and before the half-hour mark, Valencia took the lead. Although Courtois made an impressive stop from Javi Guerra, Hugo Duro capitalized on the rebound to score in the 27th minute. From that point until halftime, Ancelotti's team sought an equalizer, with Tchouameni and Valverde coming close with long-range efforts in the 34th and 38th minutes respectively. The best opportunity came when Ceballos set up Vinicius in a one-on-one situation with Dimitrievski, but the goalkeeper made another crucial save.
However, Real Madrid managed to turn the tide in the second half and secured all three points. Nevertheless, the potential suspension for Vinicius will be a concern for the team in the upcoming matches.
