Alonso Supports Mbappé and Vinícius After Missed Penalty

Real Madrid secured a commanding 4-0 victory against Valencia on Saturday at the Santiago Bernabéu, with manager Xabi Alonso coming to the defense of Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior following a missed penalty opportunity. In a match where Mbappé showcased his scoring prowess by netting two goals, he chose to allow Vinícius to take a second penalty, which was ultimately saved by Valencia’s goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala.

Mbappé had already contributed significantly to the match by scoring twice, including one from the penalty spot, when Real Madrid was awarded another penalty just before half-time. His decision to pass the penalty opportunity to Vinícius, however, did not yield the desired result, as Agirrezabala made a crucial save. Despite this, Real Madrid maintained their momentum, with Jude Bellingham scoring a minute later to extend the lead.

In his post-match press conference, Alonso highlighted Mbappé’s impact on the game, stating, “[Mbappé] scored another two [goals]! That’s a good average. It’s another three points, and that’s a good average to fight for trophies.” The French forward, who recently earned the 2024-25 European Golden Shoe for his exceptional performance last season, has now scored an impressive 13 goals in just 11 LaLiga matches this campaign.

Alonso further explained the rationale behind the penalty decision, saying, “We assign the penalty takers, and Kylian is the first [taker]. After that, they’re decisions. I like them to score the penalties! It’s a good opportunity to score. Kylian scored the first, we would have liked to score the second. But it’s no big deal.”

The match marked a significant moment for Vinícius, who returned to the pitch a week after a controversial incident during El Clásico, where he left the field visibly upset after being substituted. This time, he demonstrated sportsmanship by shaking hands with Alonso when he was substituted in the 79th minute, having delivered a solid performance throughout the match.

Alonso expressed his satisfaction with Vinícius’s contribution, stating, “[Vini] played a very good game.” Following the incident against Barcelona, Vinícius had issued an apology for his reaction to being substituted, though he did not mention Alonso by name.

Real Madrid’s victory solidifies their position in the LaLiga standings, as they continue to build momentum in their pursuit of domestic and European success. With players like Mbappé and Vinícius in form, the team looks poised to challenge for multiple titles this season.