"Should've be a red", "His attitude stinks" - Fans believe Real Madrid star should have been sent off for his behavior in draw against Leipzig
Vinicius Junior gave Real Madrid a pivotal goal in their Champions League round-of-16 clash against RB Leipzig on Wednesday (March 6), but his on-field antics created controversy and upset the fans.
After a goalless first half at the Santiago Bernabeu, the winger got into a heated argument with Leipzig defender Willi Orban after the interval. Vinicius made a harsh tackle on Orban, who reacted angrily to the challenge. The winger then became physically combative, putting his hands near the defender's throat to shove him.
Following the incident, the referee opted to issue Vinicius a yellow card rather than a red one. While the case did go to VAR, the video assistants only agreed with the on-field decision, which stunned a lot of viewers.
The Leipzig squad were unhappy with the decision, adding further tension to the atmosphere inside the Bernabeu. Vinicius went on to score in the 65th minute, giving Real Madrid the lead. Orban made it 1-1 soon after (68') to preserve Leipzig's chances. In the end, though, Los Blancos prevailed and qualified for the round of eight, thanks to their win in the first leg.
Several fans strongly believed Vinicius's actions warranted a red card, and they expressed their views on social media, with one saying:
"Should’ve been a red paying off the refs as usual."
Another warned:
"Good player but his attitude stinks man."
Here is a selection of their posts:
Carlo Ancelotti addresses tax fraud accusations and reflects on Real Madrid's Champions League win
Prosecutors in Spain have made serious allegations regarding tax fraud against Carlo Ancelotti. They assert that in 2014 and 2015, he evaded paying approximately $1.01 million in taxes connected to his income from image rights. Following this, they are requesting a four-year and nine-month prison sentence for the legendary manager.
After leading Real Madrid to the next round in the UEFA Champions League, the manager addressed these charges in public for the first time. He maintained his innocence, telling the press after the game (via Forbes):
"This is an old story that started eight years ago where the prosecution thinks I was a resident [of Spain] and I wasn't. I have already paid the fine, the money is already in the prosecutor's office, [and] only the lawyers are talking to find a solution. I'm convinced that I'm innocent, that I wasn't a resident in 2015 and let's see what the judge decides."
Ancelotti was highly critical of his team's performance during the actual game. They drew 1-1 with RB Leipzig, as the visitors threatened to see them off at times. The manager said:
"But we played very slowly, [and] controlled the low block too much, without pressing, with very slow passing, with little verticality, ... It hasn't been a good night, it's obvious."
Real Madrid will now wait in anticipation to find out their next opponents.