The French forward, Kylian Mbappé, made a viral gesture after Vinicius Junior’s latest outburst in Valencia on Friday. As the Brazilian winger responded to provocation and protested, KM9 stepped in with a forceful intervention that quickly went viral on social media.
The new year has already kicked off with a major controversy in La Liga. While top-flight teams and others compete in the Copa del Rey at the start of the year, Real Madrid caught up on their postponed match from Matchday 12 of La Liga against Valencia CF. Postponed weeks ago due to severe weather conditions in Valencia, this important fixture was played on Friday evening. With Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham, Ferland Mendy, and Kylian Mbappé in the line-up, the Madrid team had to fight hard to secure a 2-1 win by sheer determination. During the game, another incident involving Vini occurred.
Mbappé’s spontaneous reaction to calm Vinicius
In a tense match played in a hostile stadium, the Brazilian international endured a nightmare. Struggling to make a difference on the pitch, Vinicius Junior left Carlo Ancelotti’s side down to ten men in the 79th minute after being shown a straight red card. Following provocation from Valencia’s goalkeeper, the Real Madrid winger retaliated with a shove. Crafty as ever, the Valencia keeper dramatically fell, prompting the referee to review the VAR. Perhaps sensing the looming danger of being sent off, Vini erupted in anger during the review process.
Often too quick to let his temper flare, the 24-year-old struggled to control himself. Known for his composed demeanour, Kylian Mbappé responded decisively by pulling his teammate out of the situation and trying to bring him back to his senses. As seen in footage from the stands, the French forward made a significant effort to defuse the tension, a gesture that is winning widespread praise from Madrid fans on social media.
What to expect with Vinicius?
While Vini faces criticism for his detrimental behaviour, Mbappé’s gesture is widely regarded as commendable. Today, the Brazilian star risks heavy sanctions, although Marca reports that LaLiga is expected to impose a two-match suspension due to a critical omission in the referee’s report. It must be said that in Valencia, Vinicius frequently falls victim to racist chants and other provocations. With the trap set by the goalkeeper of this relegation-threatened club, the Madrid attacker failed to keep his composure.
It should be noted that after the match, he apologised for his red card. “Sorry and thank you to the team,” he posted on his X (Twitter) account following the hard-fought 2-1 victory. With Real Madrid’s appeal in progress, the football world awaits the official verdict on the sanction facing the FIFA The Best and Globe Soccer Awards 2023 winner.
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