Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has confirmed that the club will appeal the red card given to Vinicius Jr. in the comeback 2-1 La Liga win over Valencia at the Mestalla on Friday night, Afrosport reports.
Los Blancos fell to a first half goal from Hugo Duro and were further compounded when Jude Bellingham missed from the penalty spot in the 55th minute and Kylian Mbappe’s goal was ruled out for offside by VAR few minutes later.
Vinicius Jr. was then given a straight red card for a shove on Valencia goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski in the 79th minute but it not deter Madrid as Luka Modric scored in the 85th minute off a Bellingham assist before the English midfielder popped up with the winner deep in added time.
Ancelotti believes a yellow card should have been given to Vinicius and Dimitrievski and is hopeful it will be overturned ahead of their next league match against Mallorca.
“We felt the sending-off should have been two yellows, one for each player, but they showed Vini Jr. a red. We’re going to appeal it, I’m not sure if they’ll overturn it. We don’t feel it was a red card,” the Italian tactician said on the club website.
“Dimitrievski laid hands on him and then there was Vini Jr.’s shove. Two yellows would have sufficed and that would have been it. I don’t want to say he fell into the trap.
“Vinicius Jr. struggled a bit. He was playing outside in the first half and he just tried to play his game. Sometimes it all comes off for him, others not so much. I hope he can play in the next game because he’s very much a player who makes the difference for us.”
1 – #RealMadrid ⚪️⚪️ have won a @LaLigaEn match after seeing a red card being trailling for the first time since November 1999 against Rayo Vallecano in Vallecas (2-1, Morientes sent off, 2-3 at the end). Heroic. pic.twitter.com/4V45fERlMu
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) January 3, 2025
Meanwhile, Ancelotti praised Bellingham’s performance stating: “He had a great game. The missed penalty gave him extra motivation and he played the last half hour as only he knows how. He worked hard and helped Mbappé up front. The goal was a reward for his performance.”
Real Madrid’s victory took them two points clear of Atletico Madrid (with a game in hand) at the top of the La Liga standings and five ahead of fierce rivals Barcelona.
