Vinícius Jr. turned boos into cheers at the Santiago Bernabéu. The Brazilian, heavily criticized by Real Madrid fans, responded with a stunning goal in a crucial 2-1 win over Deportivo Alavés on LaLiga Matchday 33.
From boos to brilliance: Vinícius responds
The atmosphere was tense following Real Madrid’s elimination in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals against Bayern Munich. Both Vinícius Jr. and Kylian Mbappé were under fire for their performances in the second leg in Germany, which led to loud jeers from the crowd before and during the early stages of the match.
On the pitch, however, Real Madrid answered. Mbappé opened the scoring in the 30th minute with a long-range effort that deflected off a defender, beating Antonio Sivera. Early in the second half, Vinícius Jr. doubled the lead with a powerful strike from outside the box, perfectly placed into the bottom corner.
The most symbolic moment came right after his goal: Vinícius put his hands together in a gesture of apology toward the fans and then kissed the Real Madrid badge, signaling a clear attempt to reconnect with the Bernabéu faithful.
Alavés pulled one back late, but it wasn’t enough to change the outcome.
The only downside for Los Blancos was the injury to Éder Militão, who was forced off before halftime with knee discomfort after a play in which he struck the ball off the crossbar.
With the win, Xabi Alonso’s Real Madrid moves to 73 points, closing within six of LaLiga leaders Barcelona, who will face Celta Vigo on Wednesday.
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