How Eduardo Camavinga Responded to Red Card Against Bayern Munich and What Happens Now

Eduardo Camavinga’s future at Real Madrid is in serious doubt.

Eduardo Camavinga’s dismissal against Bayern Munich was one of the tie’s pivotal moments. | Harry Langer/DeFodi Images/DeFodi/Getty Images)

Eduardo Camavinga was reportedly inconsolable after his controversial red card against Bayern Munich in Real Madrid’s Champions League quarterfinal elimination.

The French midfielder came on as a second-half substitute in the second leg of the tie at the Allianz Arena, with the score 3–2 to Madrid on the night and 4–4 on aggregate.

On 78 minutes, Camavinga hauled over Jamal Musiala to earn a yellow card from referee Slavko Vinčić. Eight minutes later, Camavinga brought down Harry Kane with an innocuous-looking foul, before dribbling the ball away slightly and picking it up—an apparent attempt to delay the restart.

Vinčić produced another yellow, but momentarily appeared to forget that Madrid's No. 6 had already gone into his book, before producing a red card.

Though technically a bookable offense, preventing the restart in such a way is rarely punished by referees, with Madrid indignation further provoked by the claim that Vinčić wasn’t aware initially aware he would be condemning the player to a sending off.

MARCA’s front page the next day called the soft red an “injustice”, while Jude Bellingham, Arda Güler and Dani Carvajal led the charge in protestations against Vinčić at full time following Bayern’s eventual victory.

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Camavinga’s Heartbreaking Reaction

Camavinga wept after the defeat. | IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

Camavinga, meanwhile, was conspicuous by his absence from the dramatic fallout and left the stadium without a word to the journalists in the mixed zone.

According a report from MARCA, the 23-year-old was “utterly devastated” after the match and “wept inconsolably” over his red card in the dressing room. It is also said that the player accepts his responsibility in the decision and knows he should’ve left the ball alone after the foul, instead of giving the referee a decision to make.

He later posted on social media: “I take responsibility for my part. I want to apologize to the team and to the Madridistas. Thank you for your support, Hala Madrid.”

Speaking ahead of the La Liga fixture against Alavés, Álvaro Arbeloa told reporters: “Camavinga is hurting because he knows how important the Champions League is for Real Madrid.

“He has my confidence and the club’s, the fans’ affection, and I hope he can be here for many more years.”

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What Next for Camavinga at Madrid?

Eduardo Camavinga has been linked with a Real Madrid exit. | Diego Souto/Getty Images

Even before the Bayern showdown, Camavinga’s future had long been in doubt.

The Angola-born France international joined Madrid with high expectations in 2021, arriving from Rennes for around $36 million (€31 million) as one of Europe’s most coveted young talents.

However, the midfielder has failed to nail down a position at the Bernabéu and has been used as a utility man in a variety of roles across the midfield and, occasionally, at left back.

Most regularly, he has become a backup to Aurélien Tchouaméni as the team’s holding midfielder. While not Camavinga’s natural role, his finest hour at Madrid came during the 2024 Champions League final victory over Dortmund when he shone in his countryman’s absence.

This season, however, has seen Camavinga’s role further reduced, while a worrying number of high-profile errors have become the subject of social media video edits labelled “Camavingadas.”

Despite Arbeloa’s public backing of Camavinga post-Bayern, 18-year-old Thiago Pitarch has often preferred in key games this season and the coach appeared to blame the under-fire midfielder for losing his man for the opener in the recent 2–1 defeat to Mallorca.

Amid talk that Madrid are prepared to sell the Frenchman this summer in order to help fund new deals, Chelsea, Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain have all been touted as possible landing spots for Camavinga, who is under contract at the Bernabéu until 2029.

A clean break and fresh start may well be the best thing for Camavinga’s career. The task between now and the end of the season for the midfielder is to finish the campaign strongly and remind potential suitors—and Madrid—of the promise that saw him named the Kopa Trophy runner-up in 2022.

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