Real Madrid News
FIFA President reacts to Vinicius racism incident – “Shocked and saddened”
The footballing world is still reeling from the events that unfolded during Real Madrid’s recent Champions League clash against SL Benfica.
Following the alleged racial abuse directed at Vinícius Junior, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has now publicly addressed the situation.
Through a statement released on his social media, the head of world football’s governing body expressed his deep dismay over the scenes witnessed in Lisbon.
What Infantino said about the Vinicius incident
The FIFA president shared his statement on an Instagram post, admitting he is shocked and saddened by the incident.
“I was shocked and saddened to see the incident of alleged racism towards Vinícius Júnior in the UEFA Champions League match between SL Benfica and Real Madrid CF,” he wrote.
“There is absolutely no room for racism in our sport and in society – we need all the relevant stakeholders to take action and hold those responsible to account,” he added.
This comes shortly after UEFA’s statement on the incident, with the governing body showcasing dismay and disbelief.
Infantino went on to highlight some of the mechanisms that are in place to combat racism in football, even though they seem to have worked in Spanish football.
“At FIFA, through the Global Stand Against Racism and the Players’ Voice Panel, we are committed to ensuring that players, officials and fans are respected and protected, and that appropriate action is taken when incidents occur,” he said.
Infantino also took the opportunity to specifically praise the match official for his handling of the tense situation on the pitch.
“I commend referee François Letexier for activating the anti-racism protocol by using the arm gesture to stop the game and address the situation,” he noted.
Finally, Infantino assured the Brazilian star of the wider footballing community’s support.
“FIFA and football show full solidarity to victims of racism and any form of discrimination. I will always continue to reiterate: No to racism! No to any form of discrimination!” he concluded.
Real Madrid opted to renew Antonio Rudiger’s contract this past summer to keep him at the club for one more season.
The 33-year-old veteran defender, though, has not been performing at his best, with physical problems taking their toll and age starting to catch up with him.
As such, the expectation is that Los Blancos will not extend his contract again when his current one expires on 30 June 2027.
Tottenham eye Antonio Rudiger
And, according to reports relayed by AS, Premier League giants Tottenham Hotspur are plotting a free-transfer swoop to sign Rudiger in the summer of next year.
The north London club are understood to be keen on reinforcing their backline next year and see the German defender as an option, given his experience in the Premier League and the fact that he would be available for free in the summer.
So far this season, Rudiger has played only five games for Real Madrid, amounting to a total of 396 minutes.
The 33-year-old has even chipped in with two goals, including the all-important winner in the 4-3 comeback victory over AS Roma on Wednesday night.
Time to move on?
Despite Rudiger being a hugely respected figure in the Real Madrid locker room, he is currently the third-choice centre-back for Jose Mourinho.
After all, summer signing Ibrahima Konate and Dean Huijsen have been preferred by the manager so far in the new season.
Moreover, with Eder Militao set to return imminently after a lengthy injury layoff, Rudiger’s game-time could be impacted further.
Given the situation and factoring in Real Madrid’s plans to sign another centre-back next summer, it is pretty much evident that Rudiger does not feature in the club’s plans for beyond this season.
As such, a separation of ways seems pretty likely when his contract expires, and Tottenham are now positioning themselves as early suitors to sign Rudiger as a free agent in 2027.
