Xabi Alonso made a subtle dig toward Vinícius Júnior after the winger took and missed a penalty against Valencia, reiterating that Kylian Mbappé is Real Madrid’s designated taker.
Los Blancos cruised to a 4–0 victory over the 18th-place side on Saturday evening, keeping a firm foothold atop the La Liga standings. The game was not without controversy, though, and Vinícius was once again at the center of it.
Instead of Mbappé, who had already successfully converted from 12 yards out earlier in the match and was on a hat trick, Vinícius Júnior stepped up to the spot in the 43rd minute. The Brazil international saw his effort saved by Valencia goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala, which prompted a frustrated reaction from Alonso on the bench.
After the match, Alonso admitted players have the power to make decisions on the pitch, but he made it a point to name Mbappé as the man that should be steeping up for Real Madrid’s spot kicks.
When asked if he likes when players decide among themselves who takes a penalty, Alonso issued the following coy response: “I like it when they score the penalties.”
