Real Madrid boss Alonso breaks silence on frustrated reaction after Vinicius Jr. misses penalty gifted by Mbappé
Vinicius Junior found himself at the center of one most discussed moments of the weekend after missing a penalty against Valencia, a spot kick gifted to him by Kylian Mbappé. After Real Madrid’s 4–0 victory, head coach Xabi Alonso addressed his visible frustration over the incident.
Real Madrid hosted the game against Valencia on Saturday while sitting at the top of La Liga, looking to extend their dominance in the 2025–26 season. With Los Blancos already in control after a brace from Mbappé, a foul on Álvaro Carreras by Thierry Correia gave Madrid a chance to widen the lead from the penalty spot.
Against what was originally planned, Vinicius stepped up to take the penalty in the 43rd minute after Mbappé, who had converted one earlier in the 19th, handed it over to him. However, the Brazilian’s effort was saved by Julen Agirrezabala. Jude Bellingham struck moments later in the 44th, and Carreras added a fourth in the 82nd. Despite the comfortable lead, cameras caught Alonso visibly frustrated on the sidelines after Vinicius’ miss.
Alonso on Vinicius’ miss
After the recent El Clásico episode, when Vinicius appeared visibly upset at being substituted, reports rose addressing a tense relationship between the winger and the coach. With the penalty episode reigniting speculation, questions resurfaced about the state of their relationship, even after Vinicius’ public apology.
Asked whether his frustration was over the miss or Mbappé’s decision to give away the penalty, Alonso was direct: “Because of the missed penalty. It came just before halftime and could’ve made it 3-0. Luckily, Jude scored later. But that was it, just the frustration of not being able to go up 3-0. That’s all.“
When asked on whether Mbappé remains the only player designated as penalty taker, Alonso clarified how decisions are made on the pitch. “Not the only one. We assign the takers, and he’s the first option. Then, they make decisions. I like them to score.
“We know it’s a good opportunity, and today… the first one, Kylian scored it, and for the second, I would’ve liked us to score that one too. But it’s not a big issue. I mean, Kylian remains the first-choice penalty taker,” Alonso stated. The coach also emphasized that there’s no personal conflict with Vinicius, though the situation added another layer to the ongoing perception of tension within Madrid’s locker room.
Vinicius and another game without finishing the 90 minutes
One reason behind Vinicius’ frustration in El Clásico was Alonso’s recurring decision to substitute him before the final whistle. Despite the recent controversy, that pattern continued against Valencia, as the Brazilian ended up coming off for Rodrygo in the 79th minute.
So far in the 2025–26 season, Vinicius has featured in 14 matches for Real Madrid but has completed the full 90 minutes in only three of them, a telling sign of Alonso’s rotation strategy and player management. With a crucial Champions League clash against Liverpool coming up on Tuesday, Alonso also took off Mbappé and other key players, yet Vinicius’ early substitutions have clearly become a trend that shows no sign of changing.