Vincius Jr. turned boos into cheers at the Santiago Bernabu. The Brazilian, heavily criticized by Real Madrid fans, responded with a stunning goal in a crucial 2-1 win over Deportivo Alavs on LaLiga Matchday 33.

From boos to brilliance: Vincius responds

The atmosphere was tense following Real Madrid’s elimination in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals against Bayern Munich. Both Vincius Jr. and Kylian Mbapp were under fire for their performances in the second leg in Germany, which led to loud jeers from the crowd before and during the early stages of the match.

On the pitch, however, Real Madrid answered. Mbapp opened the scoring in the 30th minute with a long-range effort that deflected off a defender, beating Antonio Sivera. Early in the second half, Vincius Jr. doubled the lead with a powerful strike from outside the box, perfectly placed into the bottom corner.

The most symbolic moment came right after his goal: Vincius put his hands together in a gesture of apology toward the fans and then kissed the Real Madrid badge, signaling a clear attempt to reconnect with the Bernabu faithful.

Alavs pulled one back late, but it wasn’t enough to change the outcome.

The only downside for Los Blancos was the injury to der Milito, who was forced off before halftime with knee discomfort after a play in which he struck the ball off the crossbar.

With the win, Xabi Alonso’s Real Madrid moves to 73 points, closing within six of LaLiga leaders Barcelona, who will face Celta Vigo on Wednesday.