The most disconcerting scene of the last La Liga season took place during Real Madrid’s visit to the Mestalla. This time, things were already sizzling between Valencia FC and Vinicius Junior in the run-up
It’s gotten better. It’s certainly not really good yet, but the almost fortnightly racist hostility that Vinicius Junior had to endure during Real Madrid’s away games has subsided. But is there a threat of a relapse on Saturday?
The Whites, now relatively confident leaders of the table, face Valencia FC at the Mestalla from 9 p.m., where the incidents involving Vinicius reached their peak and lowest point last season.
“Stupid” or “monkey”?
In an extremely heated atmosphere, which spread from the stands to the pitch, the racially insulted Brazilian was eventually sent off himself in the heat of the moment – it was a very harsh decision – during the 1-0 defeat. And was accompanied on his departure by shouts from almost the entire stadium, the mildest interpretation of which was “stupid”. Other witnesses had heard “mono” rather than “Tonto”, monkey.
A good nine months later, ahead of Vinicius’ first return to the Mestalla, the first sideshows were already boiling over several days before kick-off. First, Valencia FC denied access to the stadium to a film crew that is currently accompanying the young attacker as part of a documentary. Subsequently, the club-affiliated newspaper Superdeporte stirred up trouble against the Brazilian, printing his likeness on the front page with the words “No more films”.
Vinicius Junior had already testified in a court case on this matter in October, the verdict of which has not yet been handed down. Valencia FC, who took the decision to reject the film crew of the polarizing Madrilenian, had already banned three of its supporters, who were identified last year, from the stadium for life. It is to be hoped that no more will have to be added on Saturday.
