What happened to Vinicius Jr in the 2023 Valencia - Real Madrid match in Mestalla?

Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid face Valencia CF at Mestalla on Saturday in the matchday 27 clash of the 202334 LaLiga campaign.

Real Madrid head to Mestalla on Saturday as Carlo Ancelotti’s side look to maintain their grip at the top of the LaLiga table as the Santiago Bernabeu outfit hold a six point lead over second place Girona.

This will be the first time that Los Blancos and Brazilian striker return to Valencia with the last Mestalla meeting overshadowed by episodes of racist chanting directed at the Madrid player by elements of the home fans.

During a stoppage in play towards the end of the game, Vinícius informed the match officials that had received racist abuse from fans behind one of the goals, who the Brazilian identified and verbally confronted before several Real Madrid teammates and Valencia defender José Luis Gayà intervened in an attempt to calm him down. Vinícius was later sent off in injury time after an altercation with opposing player Hugo Duro.

Following the red card awarded by referee Ricardo De Burgos Bengoetxea, the striker took to social media to display his dismay and frustration with the situation. “The prize that the racists have won was my sending-off. It’s not football, it’s LaLiga,” Vinícius posted in a story on his official Instagram account, pointing, as Carlo Ancelotti did later, to the organisation presided over by Javier Tebas.

There was an outpouring of support for Vinicius from within Spain and overseas as players, teams and governing bodies galvanised in adding their voice to condemn the incidents of racism at Mestalla.

FIFA chief Gianni Infantino stated: “Full solidarity to Vinícius. There is no place for racism in football or in society and FIFA stands by all players who have found