Real Madrid fell to Valencia at Mestalla. The goal of Diego López gave the victory to the local in a match where thetension and the extra-football facts stretched it until the 107th minute. Things happened. The good news: the goal of the quarry gave air to the locals in the fight not to descend. So far, only football. But, from the stands they did not stop lowering racist chants against the crack of Merengue, Vinicius Jr. "Mono", was heard from the stands after the Brazilian crossed with the spectators and then ended up expelled.
What was said: the young Diego López (21 years old) scored the only goal of the game (33), after a missed shot by Justin Kluivert, which became an assist.
Kluivert thought he scored the second in the 84th minute, but his goal was disallowed for offside. And at the end of the match (90+1), Karim Benzema offered the equalizing ball to Uruguayan Fede Valverde, but his shot was deflected by Giorgi Mamardashvili, in great form, who also rejected a free kick from Toni Kroos (90+4).
Vinicius Jr had them all happen this afternoon at Mestalla. In addition to the racist chants that haunted him for much of the game, in the 73rd minute something unusual happened: the crack escaped before the imminent tie when a ball appeared from the stand that fell into the area, with such bad luck that Cömert kicked the one that was left and hit the ball that the Brazilian was carrying, removing the ball from your feet. Vini was sent off at 96 after gesturing to people with both fingers, in clear reference to Valencia's chance of losing the category and going down to second.
After the match, the exclusive theme of the match was the xenophobic chants against Vinicius Jr. So much so, that the coach of Real Madrid, Carlo Ancelotti, directly, decided not to talk about football in the press conference after the game.
"I spoke to him during the game, the atmosphere was very hot, very bad, I asked him if he wanted to continue playing because the atmosphere was racist, I don't think it's right. I've never thought about removing a player for racism. It has never happened to me, not like that. The Spanish league has a problem, which is not Vinicius," he said after the game.
"The game should have stopped, you can't play football like that," said the coach.
"The stadium was shouting 'monkey, monkey' at him. He is a child, he likes to play football, he wanted to continue, but in this situation it is very complicated. He has tried to free himself from an aggression and is expelled. I'm not angry, I'm sad," Carletto said.
Courtois moved by the aggression against his partner: "I would have gone with him"
The Belgian Thibaut Courtois, goalkeeper of Real Madrid, condemned the racist chants that the Brazilian Vinícius Junior received during the defeat of Valencia in Mestalla (1-0): "If he told me he did not want to play, I would have gone with him"
"Someday they should put a camera focusing only on those people. They have made gestures of everything to me too... Football today is going to the field to insult and not to cheer. If 'Vini' tells me he doesn't want to play, I would have left the field with him," he said on Movistar+.
"At one point he said he was stopping and then he was going. I would have gone with him because it's something we can't tolerate," he said.
"There was an act of racism. A few years ago, Valencia denounced a Cádiz player for the same thing and now this happens here. There were 'monkey' noises... We cannot tolerate it," he added.
In Belgium if something happens the camp is closed. We cannot tolerate it. They are individuals who do not think with their heads," he added.
Lucas Vázquez was another of those who referred to the subject: "It has been a complicated afternoon. Football has to take a back seat. We have lived through something difficult to explain in 2023. That there is racism in a field is unacceptable. A lot of measures have to be taken."
And even the coach of Valencia, Rubén Baraja, showed solidarity: Valencia condemns any racist insult and we are a model fan. If you ask for respect for the Real Madrid players, you also have to ask for respect for our fans, because you are inciting that the problem is not solved. I am convinced that he is a great player, and he will apologise because it has not been adequate and we also apologize as a club if he has been offended.
Vinicius' release in his networks
"It wasn't the first time, it wasn't the second time, it wasn't the third. Racism is normal in LaLiga. The competition believes that it is normal, the Federation also and the opponents encourage it. I am sorry. The championship that once belonged to Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Cristiano and Messi today belongs to the racists. A beautiful nation, which welcomed me and which I love, but which agreed to export to the world the image of a racist country. I feel sorry for the Spaniards who disagree, but today, in Brazil, Spain is known as a country of racists. And unfortunately, for everything that happens every week, I have no defense. I agree. But I am strong and I will go all the way against the racists. Even if it's far from here."