Real Madrid News
Rayo Vallecano coach addresses debate over Vinicius’ penalty incident – ‘I think it was…’
Rayo Vallecano’s coach, Inigo Perez, was asked about a controversial incident that took place in the final moments of the match. The situation involved Abdul Mumin’s kick on Vinicius Jr. inside the penalty area, which the referee chose not to penalize.
Perez, known for his straightforwardness, admitted that it did indeed look like Mumin kicked the Real Madrid forward.
“I don’t like to lie and I think it was Mumin who kicked him,” said the Vallecano coach after the match as quoted by MARCA.
He made it clear that he always tries to be honest and said that, while the referee could have blown the whistle for a penalty, he could also have chosen not to.
“I always try to be honest and when I saw it, I said that he can whistle it but also not.”
He acknowledged that these types of situations are tricky and that referees, especially with the aid of VAR, need to be cautious when making such decisions.
“These are delicate plays that with the VAR you have to be extremely careful,” he noted.
Outrage from Real Madrid
While the Rayo Vallecano manager took a balanced approach in his comments, the reaction from Real Madrid was far more direct and critical.
During the usual post-match analysis on Real Madrid TV, the referee’s performance was heavily scrutinized.
Commentators on the channel did not hold back, openly blaming the referee for Real Madrid’s disappointing result, which saw them drop two crucial points.
They argued that the referee’s decisions had a direct impact on the outcome of the game, leaving the team frustrated and disappointed.
From the outset of the analysis, the refereeing of Martinez Munuera was described as “lousy and negligent.” The main issue was his failure to award two clear penalties to Real Madrid, with one of them involving a foul on Vinicius Jr.
The frustration from both sides is understandable, as the decisions made by the referee played a key role in how the match unfolded.
Real Madrid News
Real Madrid hope captain will resume group training tomorrow and be ready for Villarreal
Real Madrid received a major boost in training today as Kylian Mbappe participated in the group session, indicating his readiness for the upcoming game against Villarreal.
The French superstar had returned from international duty with a knee injury, but seems to have left it behind and appears ready to start at the Santiago Bernabeu come Saturday.
What about Federico Valverde?
Now, according to AS, Federico Valverde was not part of the group training session today at Valdebebas. Instead, he was involved in an individual session away from his teammates.
However, Real Madrid hope that their club captain will be able to resume working with the rest of the squad on Thursday, putting him in the fray to return in time for Saturday’s clash against Villarreal.
Valverde is currently recovering from an ankle sprain that he sustained in Real Madrid’s 2-1 derby defeat against Atletico Madrid prior to the international break.
The Uruguayan midfielder was on the receiving end of a harsh tackle from Kang-In Lee, which left him injured, ruling him out of action for the national team.
The 28-year-old stayed behind in Madrid and has worked hard on his recovery, with things progressing in the right direction.
What now remains to be seen is whether he can jump back into group training session on Thursday, which would put him on the path to return to action against Villarreal.
A key player for Mourinho
So far this season, Valverde has emerged as a permanent fixture in the team under new manager Jose Mourinho.
The Real Madrid captain has started all of the team’s eight matches in all competitions this term, scoring and assisting one goal apiece.
His potential availability for Saturday’s clash against Villarreal will come as a major boost for Mourinho & co. Everything will depend on how things progress in tomorrow’s training session at Valdebebas.
With Ibrahima Konate also recovering from his knee sprain, Real Madrid have only three players sidelined currently: Raul Asencio, who recently underwent surgery, Rodrygo Goes, who is a long-term absentee, and Ferland Mendy, who has resumed work with the ball.
