Xabi Alonso Reveals Shocking Truth Behind Vinicius Junior's Stunning Super Cup Final Substitution
Real Madrid head coach Xabi Alonso disclosed that Vinicius Junior requested to be substituted during the closing moments of Sunday night's Spanish Super Cup final.
The Spanish tactician surprised observers in the 82nd minute when he withdrew Vinicius Jr from the match at Alinma Bank Stadium. The Brazilian winger had been Los Blancos' most threatening attacking force in the 3–2 loss, netting the opening goal with a brilliant strike and consistently creating opportunities with his speed along the left wing.
With Real Madrid down by one goal and time running out, Vinicius Jr appeared to be the most likely player in white to find an equalizer against Barcelona in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. However, he was replaced by Franco Mastantuono in a change that left Madrid supporters worldwide completely baffled.
"Vinicius performed excellently until the [closing stages]," Alonso commented after his team's Spanish Super Cup disappointment. "He requested to be substituted due to exhaustion. The humidity was quite high.
"He posed a continuous threat, his goal was magnificent and he created numerous problems on his flank."
Real Madrid's No. 7 dominated his duel with Jules Koundé throughout the match, consistently outpacing the defender at every turn. Vinicius Jr even embarrassed the French player with a skillful nutmeg to penetrate the penalty area before scoring his remarkable solo goal.
The elegant finish marked the winger's 16th goal contribution across his 15th final appearance for Los Blancos, matching the club's all-time record shared by Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Ferenc Puskás. The strike also ended Vinicius Jr's 16-match scoring drought.
Alonso Dismisses Spanish Super Cup As 'Least Important' Tournament
Alonso promptly redirected attention from Vinicius Jr to his team's frustrating outcome. The 15-time European champions have now suffered defeats in their previous three finals, with all three losses coming against Barcelona.
"We're disappointed with the outcome, but we can extract positives for the remainder of the campaign. The priority now is recovering our injured players," the 44-year-old stated.
"We must move on as swiftly as possible. It's a single match, one tournament, and among those we're competing in, it holds the least significance. Our focus now is looking forward, recovering players both physically and mentally, and progressing."
Real Madrid still have La Liga, the Champions League and the Copa del Rey to compete for in 2025–26, ensuring more clashes with their greatest rivals—who currently hold a four-point advantage at the top of the league table—during the season's second half.