Vinícius Júnior delivered a sensational performance, scoring twice to salvage a 2-2 draw for Real Madrid against Valencia in the Spanish league on Saturday, marking his first return to Mestalla Stadium since enduring racial abuse last season.
Jude Bellingham's frustration boiled over after the final whistle when his apparent winning goal was disallowed by the referee, resulting in a red card for protesting. The referee deemed that time had expired just before Bellingham's header.
Vinícius showcased his prowess with goals in the 50th and 76th minutes, erasing Valencia's first-half lead secured by Hugo Duro and Roman Yaremchuk.
Last season's racial attack against Vinícius at Mestalla was deeply disturbing, yet the support for the Brazilian forward has been heartening. Despite no immediate reports of racial insults on Saturday, a section of spectators subjected Vinícius to taunts and boos throughout the match.
Responding to the hostility, Vinícius gestured defiantly toward the Valencia fans after each of his goals. Despite Valencia's ban on three fans for life due to racial abuse last season, the club criticized Vinícius and Real Madrid for painting their fanbase as predominantly racist.
In a brief interview, Vinícius acknowledged the challenging nature of the game, but his Instagram post conveyed a message of resilience: "The fight continues." Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti praised Vinícius's impactful performance, highlighting his effectiveness in finding space in the box and scoring crucial goals.
With the draw, Real Madrid maintains its position at the top of the league, holding a seven-point lead over Girona and a nine-point lead over Barcelona, pending their matches on Sunday.
Valencia took the lead through Duro and Yaremchuk, but Vinícius pulled one back just before halftime, capitalizing on a chaotic sequence in the box. He then leveled the score with a well-placed header from Brahim Díaz's cross.
The match saw Valencia defender Mouctar Diakhaby stretchered off with a suspected leg injury following a collision with Aurélien Tchouaméni. Bellingham's dismissal stemmed from his vehement protest after his disallowed goal, with the referee noting his aggressive behavior in the match report.
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