Elche goalkeeper outraged after collision with Vinicius just before Real Madrid’s equaliser – ‘It was a foul because…’ | OneFootball

Elche’s clash with Real Madrid ended in frustration for Xabi Alonso’s team, but it was the home team’s goalkeeper, Inaki Pena, who expressed his disappointment after seeing two points slip away in the final minutes. 

The match, which Madrid managed to draw 2-2 in dramatic fashion, saw its turning point come from a controversial moment involving Vinicius Jr. just seconds before Jude Bellingham scored the equaliser.

Speaking at the post-match press conference, Pena expressed his frustration at the decisive action, explaining that he felt unfairly impeded in the build-up. 

“For me, it was a foul because he went in hard and didn’t let me participate… but if the referee went to VAR and said no. 

“There’s nothing we can do,” he stated, as reported by Mundo Deportivo.

Explaining the incident

VAR did review the sequence that preceded Madrid’s equaliser, Bellingham finishing from a pass by Kylian Mbappe, after Vinicius collided with the Elche goalkeeper. 

Despite the contact, the goal was allowed to stand, leaving the hosts feeling hard done by.

Pena later offered more details on the incident, initially trying to downplay the severity of the clash. 

Inaki Pena was injured during the goal. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

“He shoots, I stop it, and with the momentum, his knee hits me in the nose. It’s a shame about that rebound, but in the end, it was just a bump, that’s all.

“It’s part of the game,” he said, although the frustration in his tone was undeniable.

Despite the late setback, Pena remained proud of his team’s effort. 

“We’re left with the feeling that we played a great game and that we gave our all on the pitch, the hard work of everyone in meeting expectations. 

“The draw at the end leaves you with a bitter taste, but taking points from Real Madrid and leaving like this speaks volumes about our ambition. 

“It’s a shame to lose the two points, but we’re happy with the performance,” he reflected.

He also praised manager Eder Sarabia’s tactical plan, which once again exposed the weaknesses of a Real Madrid side struggling for consistency. 

“Real Madrid are specialists in turning the score around, but we were clear all week and at halftime that if we sat too deep, we were going to suffer,” he concluded.