Real Madrid News
“Vinicius Jr’s actions are not provocative”: Barcelona midfielder Ilkay Gundogan
Speaking to Esport3 (h/t SPORT) ahead of tomorrow’s El Clasico, Barcelona midfielder Ilkay Gundogan has claimed that he does not find the style of Real Madrid winger Vinicius Jr. provocative at all.
There has been controversy stirred up after a Barcelona spokesperson lashed out at the Brazilian, calling him out for his style of play, doing so in a distasteful manner.
Barcelona vice-president Rafa Yuste has already issued an apology over the unsavoury post made by the spokesperson, Mikel Camps, while players like Ferran Torres and Alejandro Balde have also backed Vinicius Jr.
Now, Ilkay Gundogan has also given his opinion on the matter, stating that he does not find Vinicius Jr.’s style of play provocative.
“Someone may interpret Vinicius’ actions as a provocation, but for me, honestly, they are not. Obviously, he already knows that if he does these things he will be whistled at. But maybe he likes being whistled at, I don’t know…,” Gundogan said in the interview.
The 33-year-old will be playing his first El Clasico, having joined Barcelona during the summer transfer window, but has faced Real Madrid in the past while representing Manchester City.
As such, Gundogan has come face-to-face with Vinicius in the past and knows what the player brings to the table.
With the clash set to kick off in a day’s time, all eyes will certainly be on the Brazilian winger, who has been on the receiving end of some harsh treatment from opposition fans in away stadiums in La Liga.
Real Madrid News
Mourinho reacts to Vinicius suspension: “Why announce it two hours before an important match?”
Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has questioned the RFEF Disciplinary Committee’s decision to announce Vinicius Jr.’s four-match suspension just hours before their UEFA Champions League meeting with AS Roma on Wednesday.
The Brazilian has been hit with a four-match ban for his red card against Villarreal, meaning he will miss the matches against Sevilla, Barcelona, Racing Santander, and Valencia.
And, speaking to Movistar+ (h/t MARCA) before the match, the Real Madrid manager was asked whether the punishment could affect the Brazilian psychologically.
Mourinho instead turned his attention to the football authorities and the timing of their announcement.
“I think that is a question for the Committee. Why have they announced the suspension at this particular moment? If you are asking me this question, it is presumably because you think it could affect him,” the Portuguese coach replied.
“You should ask the Committee why they did not announce it this morning, or tomorrow morning. Why do they do it two hours before a match that is important for Real Madrid, which is a Spanish club?” he added, questioning the timing of the decision.
Mourinho explains his tactical approach against Roma
The Real Madrid manager also outlined his plan for facing a Roma side known for their aggressive pressing.
“My intention is to stop them from pressing us so high up the pitch, given the players we have available and as a precaution,” he said.
Continuing, the Portuguese manager added: “They press man-to-man higher up the pitch better than anyone else, and we will see whether we can take advantage of that. If not, they will have to drop their press five or ten metres.”
Why Rudiger over Huijsen
Mourinho also justified his decision to start Antonio Rudiger at centre-back alongside Ibrahima Konate rather than Dean Huijsen.
“They played very well together in the last match, Rudiger and Konate, showing great leadership and the ability to withstand a difficult situation when we had ten men for 30 minutes,” he said.
“I am not saying Dean is not capable of playing a match like this, but this is a wonderful atmosphere for Roma and a difficult one for us. I think a player with Antonio’s experience can be important,” Mourinho added.
Finally, Mourinho was asked about his emotions ahead of returning to face Roma, the club he managed between 2021 and 2024.
The Portuguese coach offered a brief response, saying that he had his feelings about the occasion “blocked”.
