Coach Xabi Alonso stood up for Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior after the highlighted incident during Real Madrid’s 4-0 win against Valencia, where Mbappe passed the penalty opportunity to his Brazilian colleague, who unfortunately failed to convert it.
The match at Santiago Bernabéu saw Mbappe shine with a brace, including one penalty goal. When Real Madrid earned another penalty late in the first half, many expected Mbappe to complete a hat-trick.
Mbappe continued his brilliant form with a double goal performance (Photo: Club)
However, the French star unexpectedly handed the chance to Vinicius. Sadly, the Brazilian’s shot was saved by goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala, before Jude Bellingham scored to extend the lead just a minute later.
When asked about this decision, Coach Alonso remained calm and refrained from criticizing his players: “Kylian scored twice, which is an excellent output. Our rule is that he takes the first penalty, then it depends on the situation on the pitch. Of course, I always want players to score because it’s a good opportunity, but sharing chances isn’t a big deal,” he said during the post-match press conference.
Coach Xabi Alonso understands Mbappe’s choice to give the penalty to Vinicius (Photo: Club)
Alonso also praised Vinicius’s fighting spirit, especially after a turbulent week when he showed frustration after being substituted in the El Clásico against Barcelona. The Brazilian star publicly apologized on social media and, in the match against Valencia, not only performed well but also showed professionalism by proactively shaking Alonso’s hand when leaving the field in the 79th minute.
“Vini played a very good match,” Alonso commented briefly but meaningfully.
Vinicius continues to have the support of Coach Xabi Alonso (Photo: AS)
With his brace against Valencia, Mbappe has increased his La Liga tally this season to 13 goals in 11 matches, further proving his form worthy of the 2024-25 European Golden Shoe award he recently received. Meanwhile, Real Madrid maintains the top spot in the table, showing Alonso’s squad balances competitiveness with strong team spirit in the locker room.
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