Will Real Madrid's Alonso Take Action Against Vinicius After Substitution Incident?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- No repercussions for Vinicius Jr. following his substitution outburst.
- Xabi Alonso emphasizes open communication with his players.
- Vinicius issued an apology to teammates and fans.
- Focus remains on the upcoming match against Valencia.
- Speculation grows about Vinicius's future amid contract talks.
Madrid, Nov 1 (NationPress) Real Madrid's head coach Xabi Alonso stated on Friday that there would be “no repercussions” for forward Vinicius Jr. following his emotional outburst after being substituted during last weekend's victory against Barcelona.
Alonso replaced Vinicius with Rodrygo in the 70th minute of the 2-1 triumph, prompting an angry reaction from the Brazilian winger, who yelled and gestured before heading directly down the tunnel. He later returned to the bench for the closing moments of the match.
In a statement issued earlier this week, Vinicius apologized to his teammates and fans for his actions, although he did not specifically mention Alonso.
During a press conference ahead of Saturday's La Liga match against Valencia, Alonso was asked if Vinicius had directly apologized to him. He responded, “We had a meeting with everyone on Wednesday, and Vinicius was impeccable.” He added that Vinicius spoke sincerely and from the heart, marking the issue as resolved in his view.
The coach was also questioned about his absence from Vinicius’s public apology, to which he insisted he felt no offense. “It was a very valuable, very positive statement. He demonstrated his honesty and spoke from the heart. The most important thing is what he said, and I was very satisfied. The matter was closed on Wednesday,” Alonso emphasized, reiterating there would be no action taken against the forward.
“There will be no reprisal. What worries me now is Valencia,” he concluded.
Vinicius's behavior has sparked rumors that the club may consider selling him, especially as contract negotiations appear to have stalled. However, in a recent interview with Real Madrid TV, the Brazilian sought to downplay the situation.
“El Clásico is like that: There are a lot of things happening on and off the pitch,” he remarked, insisting he “didn't want to offend anyone, not Barca players, nor the fans.”
“We try to maintain a balance,” Vinicius added, stating that “when we step onto the pitch, we have to defend our side, and that's how it was.”