It was in 2014, during a Real Madrid-Bayern match, and UEFA closed two sectors of the Santiago Bernabéu stands and forced them to put up two banners against racism
The president was in the box and the coach was on the bench, and neither of them then became leaders in the fight against xenophobia and racism
La Liga and football in general are dismayed by the unfortunate episode of racism that Vinicius experienced in Mestalla last May 21. Real Madrid said enough is enough and has launched the debate in society, awakening sensitivities and achieving the unanimous rejection of all. Their energetic protests have led to the closure of the Mestalla stands where insults were uttered for five games and the dismissal of six VAR referees, including those who formed in that Valencia – Real Madrid who are accused of having biased the images. of the tangana that leads to the expulsion of Vinicius for an attack on Hugo Duro.
Vinicius has had very bad times and has had the unconditional support not only of Real Madrid, with very forceful and furious appearances by both its coach, Carlo Ancelotti, and its president, Florentino Pérez. The white club prepared a tribute to the striker on Wednesday Brazilian, who followed the duel against Rayo Vallecano next to Florentino in the box at the Santiago Bernabéu.
But history is very treacherous and from Valencia episodes are being dusted off that leave Ancelotti and Florentino in a very bad place when it comes to the fight against racism. Vinicius is also portrayed. From ‘Superdeporte’, one of the media Iberian press, Manchester City’s visit to the Santiago Bernabéu in the semifinals of last season was recalled on Wednesday. That match that Real Madrid came back from miraculously to force extra time and end up qualifying for the final.
Well, that meeting started with Manchester City footballers kneeling before kick-off, joining the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement claiming responsibility for the murder of black US citizen George Floyd at the hands of police. Not only did no Real Madrid footballer second this gesture, including Vinicius, the starter that night, but the entire Santiago Bernabéu whistled the protest act of Pep Guardiola’s footballers. A Guardiola who just two weeks ago, during the first leg of the Champions League semifinals, had to hear homophobic chants at the Madrid stadium. Both cases with Ancelotti in the band and Florentino in the box.
But it is not the only episode that the president of Real Madrid and his coach have experienced together at the Santiago Bernabéu. On April 23, 2014, during the first leg of the Champions League semifinal against Bayern, UEFA observers noted in their match report the presence of a Nazi flag in one of the sectors of the Chamartín stands. UEFA acted ruthlessly and punished Real Madrid with the partial closure of two sectors of the stadium and the obligation to display banners against racism.
So it was. On September 26, 2014, Real Madrid received Basel with these two empty sectors and two banners against racism. Neither Florentino nor Ancelotti set themselves up then as champions of the fight against racism or xenophobiaas they did not do it in the two games against Manchester City.