Real Madrid News
Former Real Madrid player backs Vinicius amid red card controversy: ‘An outrageous exaggeration’
The season has not been an easy one for Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr.
For starters, the player has been severely out of form and has struggled to contribute to the team’s attack. With every passing game, the pressure on him continues to mount.
Just when it seemed like the player scored a pressure-relieving goal last weekend, matters turned sour as the referee went through the buildup to the goal and found a red-card-worthy offense, sending the player off.
Now, he is officially suspended for four games for the violent hair-pulling and the reaction to the referee’s decision – a punishment that is seen to be too harsh.
Morientes speaks on Vinicius
Former Real Madrid player Fernando Morientes was asked about Vinicius Jr.’s suspension (h/t The Madrid Zone) and whether he saw the four-game ban to be justified.
Needless to say, the former player made it very clear that the punishment was harsh for the foul in question and that a shorter suspension would have been justified.
“Vinícius’ red card? Its unbelievable, I’m extremely upset,” he began.
“A two-match suspension would have been more than enough, while four matches is considered an outrageous exaggeration and an elevation of the matter to the level of assault,” he added.
Elaborating on why the foul in question was not worthy of a four-game suspension, Morientes said,
“What assault do you see? And what problem occurred with the player who pulled his hair? I know and understand that it’s a straight red card with no room for debate on that, but taking it to four matches seems completely over the top.”
The topic then diverted to how the announcement of his ban was made just two hours before Real Madrid’s kickoff against Roma, and whether it was a premeditated attempt to destabilize the player.
“When you’re told two hours before the match that you’ve been suspended for four games, that’s something you can’t ignore.”
Elaborating on the kind of impact such a message has on the player ahead of a big game, he said,
“When I put myself in the player’s shoes, and you find yourself facing an important Champions League match, you call your wife and tell her: ‘Darling, we’re heading to the stadium,’ and she says to you: ‘I’m sorry to tell you this, but our daughter has a fever and I had to take her to the emergency room.’ Of course, in that match, I wouldn’t be calm at all, because there’s a personal obstacle.”
“And I put the personal obstacle and the professional obstacle on exactly the same level,” he added.
Finally, he spoke about how the news must have been devastating for the player, as four games is close to a month of the competition.
“I understand that news like this hurts any player because they won’t be present in the matches, and we’re talking about four matches, not one or two, but four full matches, which is a lot. In the past, it amounted to almost a full month of competition.”
Morientes then concluded his interview by speaking on Real Madrid’s midfield deficiencies and what he made of the situation.
“It’s true that the midfield, with all that happened since the start of the season, gives credence to those who were saying that having an organized midfielder with good positioning was an important for this team.”
“Especially with the debate that was stirred up over whether Rodri should be signed or not,” he added.
Real Madrid have an interesting selection dilemma at left-back, with Marc Cucurella and Alvaro Carreras competing for a starting spot under Jose Mourinho.
While Cucurella brings experience and an established reputation, Carreras is making an increasingly convincing case to become the team’s first-choice option.
The battle between the two Spaniards is particularly relevant given Madrid’s defensive difficulties so far this season.
Mourinho is searching for greater defensive stability and has an important choice to make between Cucurella and Carreras.
Carreras offers the defensive security Madrid need
One of Carreras’ biggest strengths is his ability to defend in one-v-one situations.
The 23-year-old generally looks comfortable against direct wingers, showing patience in his positioning and making it difficult for opponents to get past him.
That defensive reliability is particularly valuable in Mourinho’s system, where full-backs can find themselves isolated when Madrid lose possession.
Cucurella, meanwhile, has occasionally looked vulnerable against opponents attacking him directly, with space opening up for crosses from his side.
With Vinicius Junior usually playing ahead of him, the former Chelsea man does not get the defensive support he needs from his winger, leaving him isolated.
However, Carreras’ case is not built entirely on defending. He is also comfortable carrying possession forward, driving into space and helping Madrid progress down the left flank.
This makes him an attractive option for a team that has struggled to progress the ball up the pitch as consistently as they would have hoped.
Cucurella still offers qualities Mourinho values
Despite the growing case for Carreras, Cucurella should not be dismissed, and his reputation should not be forgotten.
His experience, aggressive pressing and willingness to engage opponents higher up the pitch can be useful when Madrid want to pin back the opposition.
He is also capable of moving into central areas to support possession, giving Mourinho different tactical possibilities.
However, Cucurella’s attacking contributions have not always been as influential as expected during these early weeks.
The Spaniard made a name for himself at Chelsea and with Spain by getting into attacking positions and creating chances for his teammates.
At Madrid, however, with the team looking to pass the ball quickly to runners like Vinicius and Mbappe, the best aspect of Cucurella’s game has not come to the fore.
This makes defensive solidity the primary requirement for Madrid’s left-back, and it is here that Carreras seems to have an advantage over Cucurella.
Carreras deserves an extended opportunity
At this stage, Carreras has a strong argument for becoming Madrid’s preferred left-back.
His defensive qualities appear particularly suited to the team’s immediate needs, while his ability to carry possession ensures Madrid would not sacrifice much attacking potential.
Instead of treating the left-back role as a game of musical chairs, Mourinho would be better off giving one of the two an extended run to make the position their own.
Competition for places is healthy as long as it does not breed insecurity, and at the moment, Carreras seems to be in better form than Cucurella.
It will not be easy to justify benching a summer investment, but Mourinho’s job is to make those difficult calls, and it remains to be seen how he approaches this decision.
