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Vinícius Júnior had more than his goal to celebrate in Real Madrid’s 2-0 win over Valencia in La Liga on Thursday. The Brazilian will also have been glad to escape serious injury after a vicious foul by the centre-back Gabriel Paulista in the second half that ignited a brawl and earned the Valencia player a straight red card.
Paulista struck a hard kick at Vinícius’ legs after the forward got past him in the 72nd minute, sending him hard to the ground. Vinícius quickly got up and confronted Paulista, shoving him from behind as other players arrived to join the scuffle. The Real defender Éder Militão, who had been substituted earlier in the match, also confronted Paulista as he made his way to the tunnel after being sent off.
Vinícius, who endured a tumultuous period last week after his effigy was hanged off a bridge in a racist attack before Madrid’s game against their city rivals Atlético Madrid in the Copa del Rey, scored his goal after a long run on a breakaway in the 54th minuter. It came two minutes after the midfielder Marco Asensio had given the hosts the lead with a shot from outside the area.
At the halfway point of the season, Real’s defeat of Valencia put them back within five points of the league leaders, Barcelona, who won 2-1 at Real Betis on Wednesday. Both games were postponed from January because of the teams’ participation in the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia, where Madrid beat Valencia in the semi-finals after a penalty shootout before losing to Barcelona in the final.
Real, who hadn’t won in two matches in all competitions before the victory, lost two of their key players through injury: Militão had to be replaced in the first half and Karim Benzema early in the second.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side have one last league game – at Mallorca on Sunday – before traveling to Morocco to compete in Fifa’s Club World Cup next week, when they will seek a record-extending eighth title.
It was Valencia’s first game without their previous coach, Gennaro Gattuso, whose contract was terminated by mutual agreement amid the team’s poor run. Voro González, a club director who often acts as an interim manager, took charge in the dugout in Madrid.
Valencia have won only one of their last 11 league games and are one point from the relegation zone. Their only two wins this year came in the Copa del Rey, though they failed to get past the quarter-finals.
Bremer sends Juventus through
In Italy, Gleison Bremer scored the winner as Juventus beat Lazio 1-0 to reach the Coppa Italia semi-finals.
The hosts got a deserved breakthrough just before half-time when Bremer perfectly timed a run into the box to connect with a cross from Filip Kostic and head the ball into the net.
Massimiliano Allegri’s side will face Internazionale in the two-legged semi-finals after they beat Atalanta 1-0. Cremonese, who knocked out AS Roma, will play Fiorentina in the other last-four tie.
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