Alonso Explains Viniciuss Substitution in the Final Moments of El Clasico during the Supercopa de España

The head coach of Real Madrid, Xabi Alonso, addressed the question regarding the substitution of forward Vinicius Junior during the 82nd minute of the 2026 Supercup final against Barcelona, which ended 3-2.

«Vinicius played exceptionally well. He requested to be substituted due to fatigue and was experiencing cramps. Nevertheless, he consistently posed a threat and created numerous problems for the opponent on their half of the field. His goal was remarkable. The top priority now is to get the players back to full fitness,» Alonso’s comments were quoted by AS.

To recap, in the 82nd minute, with the score at 3-2 in favor of Barcelona, Alonso replaced Vinicius, the scorer of Real Madrid’s first goal, with the Argentine winger Franco Mastantuono.