Real Madrid‘s loss to Valencia on Sunday left a lot to talk about, but not because of what happened on the field. Sadly, Vinicius Junior was once again a victim of racial abuse by opposing fans, something he had already suffered this season.
The Brazilian star also got involved in a brawl with his opponents, being choked by a Valencia player. However, it was Vini who saw the red card as the VAR review only replayed the moment he reacted against his opponent.
Needless to say, such a terrible decision was met by plenty of controversy, and six VAR officials were suspended. In addition, the suspension Vini would have received was rescinded.
Vinicius’ red card lifted while Valencia faces sanctions
The Competition Committee of the Spanish FA decided to overturn Vinicius’ red card, making him eligible for Real Madrid’s upcoming LaLiga fixture against Rayo Vallecano. In addition, it also decided to punish Valencia.
The Mario Kempes stand at the Mestalla stadium will be closed for the next five games, while the club will receive a €45,000 fine. The ruling explained, “sustained racist chanting throughout the stadium…turned the attacked victim into an aggresor.”
This doesn’t solve the fight against racism, but it helps to bring some justice after one of the darkest episodes of the season. “The prize the racists have won is my red card. It’s not football, it’s La Liga,” Vinicius said after the game.
