Real Madrid News
Real Madrid want a ‘total change’ in the use and administration of VAR – report
One of the major talking points to emerge from Real Madrid’s 1-0 loss to Valencia this past weekend, apart from the racist attacks at Vinicius Jr, was the usage of VAR.
During the final minutes of the match, there an on-field brawl broke out between Vinicius and Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, with more players joining in the melee.
And, Vinicius appeared to hit Valencia star Hugo Duro which resulted in referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea consulting with the VAR before showing a red card to the Real Madrid winger. However, no card was shown to any Valencia player, despite them also getting physical with the 22-year-old Brazilian.
As such, RFEF took a major step, firing as many as six referees, including the person who was in charge of the VAR for the game between Valencia and Real Madrid, for manipulating the images and not showing the entire scene to the on-field referee.
Now, MARCA is reporting that Real Madrid will not stop at that and will push for a total change in the usage and administration of the VAR system in La Liga.
This is not the first time that the Merengues have expressed their discontentment against the VAR and refereeing in general in the Spanish top flight. And following the incidents at the Mestalla, they will continue their fight for a ‘fairer’ system to be put in place.
There have been instances when manager Carlo Ancelotti and the players have spoken about the officiating and VAR, especially when it comes to the application of handball laws inside the penalty box.
And, the club have now made it a top priority to push for a major change in the VAR system.
“I want to announce that Real Madrid will not tolerate any more racist incidents with our players. The refereeing structure must be changed so that the victim of the crime does not bear the responsibility as it is happening now,” club president Florentino Perez said earlier today.
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.
