Vinicius spared red-card ban after suffering abuse, Valencia stand closed

Real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior has been freed from suspension on Tuesday after his red card against Valencia, in a match during which he suffered racist abuse from home supporters at their Mestalla stadium.

The Spanish football federation's Competition Committee said they accept Real Madrid's complaint against Vinicius' red card for hitting Valencia's Hugo Duro on Sunday after reviewing the video footage.

The committee also ordered the closure of the Mario Kempes stand at the stadium for five matches and imposed a fine of €45 000 on Valencia.

Vinicius faced off with fans at that end of the Mestalla stadium and pointed out one who had been abusing him.

The Spanish Federation has sanctioned Valencia with a partial closure of the Mestalla stadium for five matches and a $48,000 fine following fans' racial abuse of Vinicius Junior. pic.twitter.com/RnM3Gi26JV— B/R Football (@brfootball) May 23, 2023

Later in the game he was sent off for hitting Duro in a brawl, after the referee was shown footage on VAR.

However, the footage omitted Duro grabbing Vinicius around the neck with his arm moments before the 22-year-old Brazilian hit out.

"Such a decision was determined by the omission of the VAR room of the entire play, without showing the aggression carried out seconds before," said the Competition Committee in a statement.

Vinicius has hit out against LaLiga in the days since the incident, and garnered worldwide support for his fight against racism, after suffering similar abuse on multiple occasions this season.