Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has responded to Vinicius Jr.’s penalty miss during their 2-1 defeat to Valencia on Saturday, addressing the criticism the Brazilian forward received from home fans.
Vinicius was booed by some sections of the Santiago Bernabéu crowd in the first half after failing to convert from the penalty spot.
Speaking after the match, Ancelotti defended his player’s mindset and commitment despite the setback.
“Vinicius is focused on what he’s doing. He may play well or poorly, but he’s focused on what he’s doing,” the former Chelsea and Everton boss told reporters.
Ancelotti acknowledged that the defeat makes their La Liga title challenge more difficult but emphasized that the team would continue to push forward.
“It’s much more difficult to fight for the league title now, but we’re determined to do well until the end.
“We have a chance, less so after this match, but we have to fight until the end. It’s a complicated season in terms of penalties.
“Bellingham, Mbappé, and Vinicius have missed. I’ve tried to give him confidence, but he missed this one too.”
The loss to Valencia has left Real Madrid trailing four points behind Barcelona in the La Liga title race.