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Vinicius Junior’s collision with Inaki Pena, which left the keeper bleeding out of his nose, sparked controversy in Real Madrid’s 2-2 draw at Elche, but VAR upheld the equalizer.
Pena was left bleeding out of his nose profusely after his collision with Vini Jr (Credit: X)
If Vinicius Junior needed to provide any more fuel for his critics, they certainly found it, thanks to one flashpoint in Real Madrid’s tense 2-2 draw against Elche.
The match at the Martinez Valero had everything: tempo, drama, and a late Jude Bellingham equalizer off a Kylian Mbappe assist.
But the moment everyone keeps replaying is the collision between Vinícius and goalkeeper Inaki Pena just before the goal.
VAR immediately jumped in to review a possible foul by the Brazilian.
But, the goal stood, Real secured the draw and social media went abuzz with fans lambasting Vinicius and the referees.
Then Pena himself stepped up — and poured a bucket of cold water over the controversy.
“Just a Knock — Nothing More”
Rather than escalate the moment, Pema broke it down calmly and matter-of-factly.
“He shoots, I stop it, and because of the inertia, he catches me on the nose with his knee. It’s a shame the rebound fell to them, but in the end it was just a knock, nothing more. It’s a natural part of the game,” he told Movistar+.
With no clear foul detected, VAR validated the goal and Madrid leveled the score at 2-2.
Elche’s Pride — and Frustration
Inside the Elche dressing room, emotions were mixed. The performance was one of their best all season, yet two points slipped away at the death.
“We leave knowing we played a great game and gave everything. The draw leaves a bitter taste, but taking points off Real Madrid speaks to the ambition this team has,” Pena added.
Pena may have let the collision with Vinicius slide as part and parcel of the game, but his coach, Eder Sarabia, was furious.
“It’s a clear foul, clear,” said Sarabia, who added he was not happy with just one point after his team’s fine display despite finishing with 10 men after Victor Chust’s late dismissal.
After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term…Read More
After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term… Read More
November 24, 2025, 16:23 IST
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