Carlo Ancelotti, coach of Real Madrid, believes Vinicius Jr. will continue at the club despite the player signalling he was open to leaving following two years of racial abuse in Spain.
Vinicius stated that he would not back down in his fight against prejudice, even if it meant travelling a long distance.
When Ancelotti asked if the 22-year-old was contemplating leaving Madrid, he said: “I don’t think so. He loves Real Madrid. A lot of things have gone through his head but I don’t think it’s on his mind to leave. His love for the club is very big and he wants to make his career here.”
Vinicius did not train on Tuesday, May 23, with Ancelotti informing reporters that he had a minor knee problem and did not need to risk damage with a ban of one or two games due to his red card in the Valencia game last Sunday.
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When asked if Vinicius had lost his passion for playing in Spain, Ancelotti added: “He has not lost it no. We’ll see what his suspension is and we’ll evaluate whether to give him more or fewer days off. If he gets two games, I’ll give him a week’s holiday to be ready for the last game of the season against Athletic. And if he gets one game, he’ll play against Sevilla.”
On the player’s state of mind, Ancelotti said: “He is very upset. But he knows he has the support of everyone, not just Madrid. It’s unconditional support and it has even come from rivals.”
If Vinicius were to leave Real Madrid, he would go to England, and Ancelotti stressed the stark difference between racism at English and Spanish football fields.
He said: “Condemnation is not enough. This has been happening for a long time but still no action has been taken to put an end to this problem of racism. In England, they don’t insult you. They solved this issue a long time ago at the time of the ban from European competition. There are no police in the stadiums in England. Here it is like going into a war zone with police vans everywhere. They have taken drastic measures [in England].”
Police in Valencia are checking video from both inside and outside the stadium. ‘According to city councillor Pilar Bernabe, “At the moment, what we know is that three people have been identified, but the work of the National Police is ongoing.”