Ancelotti becomes the target of an investigation by the MP for calling fans racist

Carlo Ancelotti, coach of Real Madrid and agreed with the CBF to take over the Brazilian national team, became the target of an investigation by the Public Ministry of Spain for calling Valencia fans racist. He was denounced by the Association of Small Shareholders of Valencia (APAVCF), which defends the interests of shareholders, associates and supporters of the club, and felt offended.

Ancelotti’s speech came after one of several racist attacks suffered by striker Vinícius Júnior, this time in a 1-0 defeat by Real Madrid to Valencia, at Mestalla Stadium. The Brazilian adopted a combative posture and was responsible for triggering a public discussion about racism in Spanish football and even about changes in the country’s law. After the match, the Italian coach said that the “whole stadium shouted ‘monkey'”, which upset part of the Valencian crowd.

“I don’t want to talk about football. Do you want to talk about football? It was more than a defeat. Doesn’t it look like it? I’m very calm, but something happened that can’t happen. A stadium shouting ‘monkey’ to a player, and a coach thinking about having to take him out for that. Something is very wrong in this league. Nothing happens”, said an irritated Ancelotti at the time, during a post-match interview.

After that, in another interview, the merengue coach recanted. “I apologize, it wasn’t 46,000 (screaming ‘monkey’), but it wasn’t just one or two either,” he said. He also said that “Spain is not racist, but there is racism in Spain”, a phrase related to a statement by Vini Jr., who said that the country is being seen worldwide as a racist nation.

Despite Ancelotti’s apology, APAVCF did not back down and upheld the complaint. “He treated an entire stadium with 46,002 spectators as racist towards the media present in the Mestalla press room,” the association said in a statement. “The complaint presented stems from the enormous damage that was caused to the club and to the supporters. The statements made and the fact that the whole Mestalla was treated as racist, completely false, crossed borders”. Now, it’s up to the Spanish court to decide whether or not the coach’s speech is classified as some kind of insult.

REPRESENTATION

Ancelotti started this Monday (10) the 2023/2024 pre-season with Real Madrid. The big news was the presence of English midfielder Jude Bellingham, formerly of Borussia Dortmund, the main reinforcement hired by the club in the current transfer window. He was the first to arrive and underwent medicals, as did striker Brahim Díaz, back from loan at Milan, and 18-year-old Turkish prospect Arda Güler.

A good part of the squad has not yet performed, as many players played for their national teams at the Fifa Date earlier this month, after the end of the club season in Europe. This is the case of the Brazilians Vinícius Júnior, Rodrygo and Eder Militão, who, from 2024, should be coached by Ancelotti also in the Brazilian national team. Although the Italian has not addressed the matter publicly, the CBF confirms that he will lead Brazil from mid-2024, when his contract with Real ends. Until then, Fernando Diniz will work as interim, shared with his role as coach of Fluminense.