Real Madrid News
FIFA president shows support to Vinicius Jr after racist abuse vs Valencia
After the ugly scenes that went down during last night’s La Liga match between Real Madrid and Valencia at the Mestalla, Vinicius Jr is gathering a wave of support from the footballing fraternity.
The Brazilian superstar, once again, was subjected to vile racist abuse by a section of the Valencia supporters on Sunday. In the aftermath, the 22-year-old has lambasted La Liga and president Javier Tebas for their continued ignorance.
Several players from Real Madrid have spoken out in support of the winger, while other notable names like Ronaldo, Neymar, and Kylian Mbappe, among others, have shown solidarity via social media.
Now, FIFA president Gianni Infantino has also shown his support to the Real Madrid winger, with a statement on social media about the incident that went down last night at the Mestalla. The chief of football’s governing body wrote:
“Full solidarity to Vinicius. There is no place for racism in football or in society and FIFA stands by all players who have found themselves in such a situation. Events during the match between Valencia and Real Madrid show that this needs to be the case.”
After the match, Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti had hit out at the referee for not stopping the match after being informed of the abuse that Vinicius had received.
And Infantino also stressed on FIFA’s three-step process that exists and stated that all leagues should consider taking a similar approach.
In FIFA competitions, during such situations, as a first step, the match is stopped and an announcement is made. If the verbal abuse continues, players walk off the field and another announcement is made stating that the match will be suspended.
If the attacks continue after the match is restarted, it is stopped and three points are awarded to the opponent. And Infantino advocated for all leagues to incorporate this approach even though he admitted it is easier said than done.
Meanwhile, the Brazilian government has also issued a statement on the matter, saying: “We refuse yet another racist aggression against Vinicius Jr. We will notify Spanish authorities and La Liga. We will not tolerate racism either here or outside. We’ll work so every black athlete can play without experiencing this.”
This is the umpteenth time this season that Vinicius has been racially abused by opposition fans. The winger’s effigy had also been hung off the bridge by Atletico Madrid ultras not very long ago.
But there have been no concrete actions taken by La Liga and the RFEF apart from issuing statements to ‘denounce’ the acts.
Real Madrid News
Mourinho considering starting 23-year-old Real Madrid ace against Villarreal – report
After impressing during the international break, Eduardo Camavinga has a major opportunity to establish himself in Real Madrid’s midfield rotation.
Indeed, according to Defensa Central, Jose Mourinho is considering starting the Frenchman against Villarreal, with injuries and doubts over several players limiting his options.
Real Madrid cannot afford to drop points against Villarreal if they want to remain in the title race. However, Mourinho has issues to deal with in the squad, which could lead him to turn to Camavinga for a crucial role.
Camavinga could replace Tchouameni in midfield
The 23-year-old star could line up as the defensive midfielder in the double pivot, with Bernardo Silva or Arda Guler alongside him, and will be tasked with providing balance in midfield.
Real Madrid face Villarreal with several problems in central defence. Ibrahima Konate is expected to be a late call, leading Mourinho to consider moving Aurelien Tchouameni into defence alongside Antonio Rudiger.
Meanwhile, Federico Valverde could also struggle to be ready after the ankle injury he sustained in the derby before the international break.
The Uruguayan has continued to work individually away from the group and might return to group training tomorrow. Even then, his readiness to start remains in question.
That would leave a place open in midfield, with Camavinga in line to fill in.
Camavinga impressed during the international break
Camavinga has started only one match this season, the defeat against Real Betis.
Despite his limited opportunities, Mourinho is keen to bring the Frenchman back into the fold after he impressed for France during the international break.
Zinedine Zidane called the Real Madrid star up for his first France squad, and the midfielder performed well during the break.
That has given Mourinho and Real Madrid reason to be optimistic about using him against Villarreal, with the hope that he can move closer to the level he showed after first arriving at the club.
Therefore, the Villarreal match could represent an important test for Camavinga and a chance for the Frenchman to show that he can provide the balance Real Madrid need in midfield.
