Carlo Ancelotti criticized the red card shown to Vinícius Júnior in Real Madrid's comeback win against Valencia, calling it an incorrect decision and vowing to appeal. Despite challenges like missed penalties, Ancelotti praised his team's second-half performance and Jude Bellingham’s perseverance, which led to an important victory.
Carlo Ancelotti, head coach of Real Madrid, spoke out about the red card shown to Vinícius Júnior during their comeback victory against Valencia at Mestalla. Ancelotti disagreed with the referee’s decision, arguing that Vinícius should have only received a yellow card. He explained that the incident involved a touch from Valencia’s goalkeeper Dimitrievski, followed by Vinícius, and emphasized that both players deserved yellow cards, not a red. Ancelotti confirmed that the club would appeal the decision, stating, "We believe it was not a red card, but rather two yellow cards."
Ancelotti praised his team’s resilience following the controversial decision. Despite the challenging circumstances, including a missed penalty and a disallowed goal, Real Madrid managed to secure a 3-1 victory. Reflecting on the match, the coach admitted that the first half was poor, but the second half played with 10 men, was exceptional. "We cannot show these two different faces," he said, highlighting the team’s effort in overcoming adversity.
Ancelotti also expressed frustration over the missed penalty, explaining why it wasn’t retaken despite the goalkeeper being off his line. He took responsibility for selecting the penalty takers, acknowledging the team's missed opportunities. Despite the setbacks, Ancelotti praised Jude Bellingham for his performance. "The missed penalty gave him extra motivation," he noted, also crediting Bellingham for his hard work and assist to Kylian Mbappé.
