…Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr. will have to serve a two-match suspension
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti is “tired of” the controversies surrounding his winger Vinicius Jr. and constantly having to discuss such themes before the press according to Cadena COPE reporter Manolo Lama, who cited anonymous sources on Spanish radio.
The Italian has had to face questions about the Brazilian in several press conferences or interviews after he was red-carded for shoving the home team’s goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski in the face while his side trailed Valencia 1-0 in an eventual 2-1 comeback win.
Ancelotti argued that both men should receive yellows upon review and didn’t believe that the Ballon d’Or runner up would be hit with a suspension.
On Tuesday evening, though, Spanish football authorities handed down a two-match ban that must be served in La Liga and thankfully – for Los Blancos at least – didn’t pertain to Thursday’s Spanish Super Cup semifinal meeting with Mallorca or a final against FC Barcelona at the weekend after the Catalans beat Athletic Club 2-0 in the competition’s other last four showdown.
At another sitdown with the media to preview the Mallorca game, Ancelotti fought Vinicius’ corner and said that everyone at the club remains “delighted” with the 24-year-old.
According to Lama, however, Ancelotti is “tired of the Vinicius issue”.
“Ancelotti’s not stupid and he knows that because of Vinicius Madrid did not go to collect an award for him, that for Vinicius Madrid did not collect the award for the best team,” Lama added, in reference to December’s Ballon d’Or ceremony where Los Blancos were a no-show because of a last minute snub for the best male player award in favor of Rodri.
“That every time Vinicius makes a mistake on the pitch he has the support of the club…,” Lama trailed off.
Lama’s comments were made before Madrid went on to win its Spanish Super Cup semifinal against Mallorca by a comfortable 3-0 scoreline.
Vinicius was once again tormented by old nemesis Pablo Maffeo throughout the action, and was therefore heated at full time and caught causing a rumpus in the tunnel.
Commenting on the matter via Movistar, Madrid legend and respected pundit Jorge Valdano suggested that Vinicius needs to be taken to one side and given some stern advice.
“First of all, Vinicius has to do what is asked of a superstar – win games. Many times, Madrid owes more to him than to the collective effort because he has reached an extraordinary level of [influencing games].
“Someone has to tell him that what he is experiencing was lived by Cristiano Ronaldo before. Hugo Sanchez lived it before, Alfredo Di Stefano lived it before… Why? Because they were the best,” Valdano began.
“What does the opponent do against the best? It tries to take him out of the game and provoke him and why, because they are afraid of him. It’s almost a tribute that people treat you the way they treat you, but he clearly doesn’t interpret it as a tribute.
“Having done so much to correct his football defects, what he is capable of solving with his feet, he is not solving with his head. I guess the club will be working on that. There is a kind of overprotection at the public level, but I understand that within the club there has to be a certain concern and that they will be working on that,” the Argentine concluded.
Scoring a hat trick in the decider between the same two outfits this time last year, Vinicius is certain to be a protagonist in Sunday’s Super Cup final against FC Barcelona whether for better or worse.
Forbes
