The splendid torrent of nonsense after Real Madrid's 2-2 draw in Valencia on Saturday, because The whites The full-time referee denied them an ultra-dramatic winner in added time, it was as silly, out of place and ridiculous as the match was thunderous, fun and memorable. What does not seem to matter to this angry brigade, mostly those who orbit around this powerful club, is that not only have they been completely wrong in their rage-filled clamor, but in reality they are only succeeding in muddying the waters around what really happened.
In case you weren't watching, Valencia's 2-0 lead was restored once Madrid woke up and, at the end of the match, referee Jesús Gil Manzano earned a lot of vitriol for following the rules of the game. FIFA to the letter.
After Vinícius Júnior tied the contest with two goals (one of which he celebrated in the same way as Tommie Smith and John Carlos at the 1968 Olympic Games), Gil Manzano let all the added time, and then some, pass and then he blew his whistle. He did so before Brahim Diaz crossed the ball for Jude Bellingham to nod in what would have been the winning goal…if the match hadn't ended. There was a melee on the pitch, Bellingham received a red card for his scathing comments to the referee, there was a skirmish in the tunnel and then a torrent of nonsense around The whites in the Spanish sports media and on social networks.
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The rules of the game say absolutely nothing about the referee being required or advised to let a play end, whether with a goal or a clearance, before blowing his whistle to signal the end of a half or the end of the match. . Some think it should be like this, more by “common practice” than by law, but personally I saw nothing but relief on the faces of the players and Real Madrid staff when Gil Manzano himself failed at half-time in the middle of a very Valencia's promising team as they took a 2-1 lead. That's why I call Madrid's reactions hypocrisy when the shoe was changed about 50 minutes later.
Having co-commented on the match, I can say that the first “bleep” of Gil Manzano's final whistle was very clear before Brahim even hit the cross that Bellingham converted and was distraught to see disallowed. What's more, the referee had played the defined added time and something else: not only was he right, but he was right.
After the match, Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti suggested that something “beyond human knowledge” had occurred. Now, for the record, I believe that Madrid's Italian coach truly belongs to one of the all-time greats: he belongs to the Mount Rushmore of football. But this tirade was not only reckless; He was wrong.
I remember an identical incident in the 1978 World Cup match between Brazil and Sweden. (At that time, Ancelotti was already an established Parma player and was about to be signed by Roma.) Worse still, Carletto, don't you remember that the same thing happened to Karim Benzema when you were his coach at Madrid in 2014?
It was the World Cup in Brazil, on June 20 to be precise: France was leading Switzerland 5-2 when Benzema finished off a cross from the right wing, but referee Bjorn Kuipers annulled the goal because he had blown the final whistle while the cross was on. the air. Others have already commented on more recent “goals” in the final seconds, after being disallowed by Spanish soccer referees who deemed time up.
All in all, the vitriol that followed was simply a farce. In a variety of media, there were repeated uses of hyperbole, such as “historic scandal”, “the biggest scandal in recent years”, “embarrassing” and “a tainted league”, all about a decision that was 100% correct. according to the laws of sport.
Apart from the damage to the credibility of those who calmed themselves down by shouting fouls, it also damaged what might otherwise have been the focus of attention. Choose what you want to start with, but I choose the positive.
Vinicius found the acuity, wit and strength of character to score two goals in a match he almost lost and in which, otherwise, he was putting in a rather unremarkable performance. That is an important characteristic that we must possess. Congratulations to him.
Everyone will have their own points of view, but in the constant and agonizingly slow battle to find the right means to combat and educate against racism, the Brazilian player imitates Smith's raised fist salute, directing it towards the fans who have abused him on more than one occasion. , it suits me well. He was elegant, dignified, rooted in history and sent a clear message that would not earn him a reprimand or expulsion. I welcome what he did.
More positives?
Brahim had to swallow the fact that, despite his excellent form in recent weeks, the return of the majestic Bellingham meant the dynamic midfielder was sent to the bench again. However, he was magnificent after getting into a crazy fight after an hour with his team trailing 2-1. Although the “assist” for Bellingham's disallowed header in the 99th minute will not stand, his overall play – and the simply magical ball he passed to Vinicius for his second goal – speak of a boy in the prime of his life and in form of blisters. Spain needs to start picking him up and playing him right away, or else Morocco, for whom he is eligible, could attract a generational talent to represent them.
Now, the negative aspects that were obscured.
In that first half, while Valencia was risking their lives, Madrid was sleepy and careless. My opinion is that part of the fury unleashed when Gil Manzano denied what would have been his last winner was not just competitive rage, but an aftertaste of the embarrassment they thought they had escaped after those horrible first 45 minutes.
Valverde and Kroos made very unusual errors, while Vinicius and Carvajal, respectively, were directly to blame for Valencia's two goals. The Chea team made up of young people and ordinary footballers, was significantly superior.
Was it disastrous? No. Madrid remains the big favorite to win this league, but the barely recognizable lethargy and avoidable errors can be contextualized in several passages of the game in their two draws, against Rayo and Atlético, in the last four league games. A problem, but worrying.
Normally all of these things (Vinicius, Brahim, Madrid's erratic form) would be in the spotlight, but most of the discussions involved ranting and getting angry about something that wasn't a real problem.
Human nature, however, is something that Madrid, as an institution, should value. Could his attack on the referees, in due course, provoke a conscious or subconscious reaction? You be the judge.
Now comes a second date with RB Leipzig. Madrid have a 1-0 aggregate lead in their Champions League round of 16 match and should make a comeback. They are the best team and should be trusted to progress. But part of what has been extremely attractive and worthy of praise – at least for me – is how Madrid, when in extremishave produced a flurry of very late goals, in the last minute or in added time (Unión Berlin twice, Napoli, Barcelona, Getafe, Almería, Atlético, Celta are a few) that have helped rescue or win games this season .
Did any of their anguish and fury in Valencia have to do with the inner knowledge that living perpetually on the edge, as they have done so many times, is fun and exciting, as long as you never fall?
