Vinicius Junior: Real Madrid Fans React Angrily After Brazilian Missed Penalty vs Valencia

• Vinicius Junior became the subject of online criticism after he endured another ill-luck from the penalty spot
• Having missed from 12 yards against Atletico Madrid earlier in the season, Vini spurned his chance versus Valencia
• Nonetheless, he will redeem himself in the second half, but Los Blancos ultimately lost, succumbing to a 2-1 defeat

Real Madrid’s clash against Valencia at the Santiago Bernabéu took an early twist when Kylian Mbappé was brought down in the box by Cesar Tarrega, offering the home side a golden opportunity to seize control just 11 minutes into the encounter.

But what should have been a momentum-shifting point for Los Blancos turned into a catalyst for frustration among fans.

Vinicius misses golden chance from the penalty spot

Instead of Mbappé—who had clinically dispatched a penalty just days earlier against Leganés—Vinicius Jr stepped up.

The Brazilian winger, who has struggled for rhythm this season, took responsibility from 12 yards but failed to deliver.

His tame effort was read perfectly by Valencia’s Georgian shot-stopper, Giorgi Mamardashvili, who dived to his left to deny the 24-year-old.

According to Goal, the costly miss proved even more damaging just moments later.

Vinicius punished instantly after penalty miss

As Real Madrid attempted to regroup from the squandered opportunity, Guinean international Mouctar Diakhaby rose highest to meet a corner kick, powering home a header that left Andriy Lunin rooted.

Within the span of two minutes, Madrid went from potentially leading to trailing—a psychological blow compounded by poor execution in both boxes.

He will redeem himself after recess to level the score in the 50th minute, benefitting from a Jude Bellingham flick-on.

However, Valencia had other ideas, scoring late through Hugo Duro to seal an unlikely 2-1 win against Carlo Ancelotti's men, per One Football.

Vinicius faces backlash after penalty miss

Meanwhile, Vinicius became the subject of intense criticism from the club’s global fanbase.

Supporters voiced their opinions on X (formerly Twitter), with many questioning the decision to allow him to take the spot-kick over more proven alternatives. YEN.com.gh sampled some of the most impassioned reactions:

@RMFC_Theo fumed:

"We have a guy that was scoring pens in the WC final why is Vini taking them?"

@DuongOnChain urged:

"Please never let Vini take pen again."

@footyfanatico posted:

"OMG! This guy needs to stop taking penalties."

@Rmfc_Luke pleaded:

"Just never let him take the penalty, please, for the love of God."

@Halcon8R criticised:

"Always taking nonsense penalties."

@itskdofficial concluded:

"Sighs! Please, from now on let Mbappé or Valverde take the pens."

Weighing in on Vinicius Junior’s second penalty miss, Focus FM sports journalist Fitman Jaara believes the Brazilian winger should reconsider stepping up for spot-kicks.

“Don’t get me wrong—Vinicius is a top talent. But taking penalties isn't his strong suit,” Jaara told YEN.com.gh.

“He clearly needs to sharpen that part of his game if he wants to take on that responsibility. If Madrid miss out on the La Liga title this season, Vini’s miss could be one of those moments they’ll look back on with regret.”

Journalist claims Real Madrid play better without Vinicius

In a separate report, YEN.com.gh spotlighted a daring assertion made by Spanish journalist Joaquin Maroto, who suggested that Real Madrid performs better as a unit in the absence of Vinicius.

He emphasised that Madrid’s overall play becomes more fluid without the 2024 Ballon d'Or runner-up, a dynamic he believes has contributed to Mbappé’s recent goal drought when paired with the Brazilian.

Source: YEN.com.gh