Xabi Alonso has said there will be “no punishment” for Vinícius Júnior after the star stormed off during Real Madrid’s Clásico win over Barcelona, praising the player’s “valuable, positive” apology and saying “the matter is now closed.”

Vinícius reacted angrily to being substituted in the 72nd minute of the 2-1 LaLiga victory at the Bernabéu, visibly questioning Alonso’s decision before heading straight down the tunnel.

On Wednesday, the Brazil international posted an apology on social media which named fans, teammates, the club and president Florentino Pérez, but omitted Alonso.

“On Wednesday, after two days’ rest, we had a meeting with everyone,” Alonso said in a news conference on Friday.

“Vini did well, he was impeccable. He spoke from the heart, with sincerity. I was very satisfied and for me, from that moment the matter is closed.”

ESPN has reported that the relationship between Alonso and Vinícius has been damaged — with the Clásico row the latest episode — after the coach left the player out of his starting eleven three times so far this season, having previously planned to drop him for Madrid’s Club World Cup semifinal.

Alonso denied that he was surprised or disappointed that Vinícius’ apology didn’t mention him by name.

“For me, it was a very valuable, positive statement,” Alonso said. “Vini showed his honesty, he spoke from the heart, what this club means to him. For me what’s most important is what he said to his teammates, the fans and the club. I’m very satisfied and since Wednesday, the subject is closed and we’re thinking about what’s next.”

Madrid had previously said that disciplinary matters would remain internal, but Alonso said Vinícius would face no sanction for what happened, and was available to play Valencia on Saturday.

“I was satisfied, and since Wednesday it’s closed,” Alonso said. “We’ve trained well, Vini is fine. We’re all in the same boat, rowing in the same direction… We have a game tomorrow, which is the most important thing. No punishment.”

Talks over a new contract for Vinícius — with his current deal up in 2027 — are currently on hold, but Alonso insisted that isn’t a distraction.

“He looks very focused,” Alonso said. “The other day [against Barça] he played a very good game, and against Juventus too, and against Getafe, and we hope for the same tomorrow.”

Alonso’s managerial style is a sharp contrast with predecessor Carlo Ancelotti, who was known for a more relaxed attitude.

“It’s important to be authentic, having a sincere, direct relationship,” Alonso said, when asked how he managed situations like this.

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“Knowing your role, and always thinking about what’s best for the team … It’s about having a good relationship, with respect, but knowing that not everyone is the same. That’s where you need to have emotional intelligence.”

One blow for Madrid after the Clásico win was an injury for captain Dani Carvajal, who had only just returned after a long absence.

“On Monday morning it was a surprise to get the call from the doctor,” Alonso said. “We’ll miss him for sure. He’s very important in the day to day. It could be seven, eight weeks, but I’m not a doctor.”

Real Madrid are leading the chase over Liverpool to sign Marc Guéhi from Crystal Palace in the summer, while Barcelona are interested in Strasbourg striker Joaquín Panichelli. Join us for the latest transfer news and rumors from around the globe.

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TRENDING RUMORS

– Real Madrid are confident that they will sign Marc Guéhi when the Crystal Palace center back’s contract ends in the summer, according to The Sun. Los Blancos believe that the 25-year-old favors a move to join fellow England internationals Jude Bellingham and Trent Alexander-Arnold, despite Bayern Munich joining them, Liverpool and Barcelona in the race to sign him as a free agent. The Reds are looking to make a big defensive signing in January, but Guéhi reportedly isn’t interested in a mid-season move.

– Having reported Barcelona’s interest in Levante forward Karl Etta Eyong yesterday, Mundo Deportivo are now suggesting that the Blaugrana are also interested in Strasbourg‘s Joaquín Panichelli. A bicycle kick by the the 23-year-old in the UEFA Conference League group stage against Polish side Jagiellonia caught the eye, but Barca are more impressed by his tally of nine goals in 10 Ligue 1 appearances so far this season. This comes as Barca are not currently in a position to sign or register a world-class striker such as Atletico Madrid’s Julián Álvarez due to financial issues.

– Gazzetta dello Sport has suggested that Mexico striker Santiago Gimenez has until January to prove that he should stay at AC Milan, even though the 24-year-old only joined from Feyenoord for €28.5 million last January. In another report, Gazzetta states that the Rossoneri are looking for goal scorers and Gimenez could be involved in a swap deal for Roma’s Artem Dovbyk. Milan are also interested in Manchester United‘s Joshua Zirkzee, Strasbourg’s Joaquin Panichelli and Eintracht Frankfurt‘s Jonathan Burkardt.

– Bayern Munich are seriously considering making an offer to sign Feyenoord right back Givairo Read, as reported by Sky Sports Deutschland, and are already in talks. The 19-year-old recently signed a contract that runs until 2029 but the Netherlands U19 international is aware of the interest. It could still be a complicated deal for Bayern to complete due to attention from the Premier League, with Liverpool also reported to be interested.

– Barcelona are closely monitoring Sao Paulo midfielder Gustavo Zabarelli, as reported by Sport. The 16-year-old has an Italian passport, which could mean the club don’t have to wait until his 18th birthday to sign him, while Sao Paulo have allowed young players to leave in recent times due to their financial struggles. Zabarelli is currently training with VfB Stuttgart for “a few weeks,” while Ajax and Benfica are also keen on a permanent move.

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OTHER RUMORS

– Tottenham Hotspur forward Richarlison would be keen to rejoin Everton with the Toffees keeping a close eye on his situation. (TEAMtalk)

– Premier League clubs have approached Senny Mayulu but the 19-year-old midfielder is getting closer to renewing his Paris Saint-Germain contract until 2030. (Nicolo Schira)

– Barcelona defender Eric Garcia has Chelsea and Tottenham on his trail but has agreed to sign a new contract. (TBR)

– Manchester United are not in talks over the signing of AIK forward Kevin Filling, 16, despite reports to the contrary. (Manchester Evening News)

– Aston Villa will only have an obligation to make Harvey Elliott‘s loan from Liverpool permanent if the midfielder plays a certain number of matches for them. Bundesliga clubs are among those still showing an interest in the 22-year-old. (Daily Mail)

– Borussia Dortmund are negotiating new contracts for defender Nico Schlotterbeck and forward Karim Adeyemi, but whether a release clause should be included is a topic of discussion in both situations. (Sky Sports Deutschland)

– FC Cologne are keeping a very close eye on Borussia Dortmund midfielder Salih Ozcan‘s situation and there have been many other enquiries. The 27-year-old could be allowed to leave in January, while his contract ends in the summer and is unlikely to be renewed. (Florian Plettenberg)

– Hoffenheim are negotiating to extend Ayoube Amaimouni-Echghouyab‘s contract but will offload the 20-year-old winger in January if a deal can’t be agreed, as they want to avoid losing him for free in the summer. He has received interest from top Bundesliga clubs. (Sky Sports Deutschland)

– Premier League clubs have been monitoring 18-year-old Barcelona midfielder Tommy Marques but the Blaugrana trust him. (Fabrizio Romano)

– Paris Saint-Germain won’t make a signing in the January transfer window unless there is a significant departure, and they have no intention of letting defender Lucas Beraldo leave. (Le10 Sport)