real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti believes Vinicius Jr. Although he was the target of racist harassment, he focused entirely on football and supported it to show his quality against the matches. Liverpool Once again on Tuesday.
The Brazilian international, who has scored three goals in his last three games for Jurgen Klopp’s team, has found himself the target of nauseating insults in 2019, including the winner of the Champions League final in May. Spain.
It included a mannequin wearing the player’s shirt hanging from a bridge outside Madrid’s training ground last month.
However, Ancelotti supported the 22-year-old to overcome the harassment and elevate himself to the top echelon of world football.
“I hope the people who should be involved are working on it,” Ancelotti said ahead of their last 16 Champions League draw at Anfield.
“I think racism is a really serious issue, there are no laws that can change the behavior of a single person.
“You can only change people through culture, a shared purpose and a sense of humanity. Don’t blame Spain for this, it’s happened in every country.
“Vini runs really well, he’s focused on the game and he likes to play football and it doesn’t affect the pitch.
“When matches are important we see the best in him and it’s clear that tomorrow is going to be a big game.
“It’s great to watch Vinicius right now because every football fan loves his quality.
“They love to see Pedri, Gavi, (Kylian) Mbappe – Vinicius is there with these players and we can have fun with such quality players.”
Klopp was previously asked if Vinicius’ actions on the ground could be interpreted as hostile.
“Racism? No matter what the Liverpool manager does on the pitch, there is nothing in the world that can justify it,” he said.
“Nothing would happen. Imagine if I said, ‘Yes, this part of your game can cause this’. This is utter madness. No, nothing. He is a world class player.”
Ahead of the first leg, Ancelotti didn’t want to dwell too much on his final victory last May at the Stade de France, where Liverpool played well but found goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois in great form.
When asked if he was worried about being pressured again, he added: “I’m more worried about Madrid. I concentrate more on ourselves.
Whether Salah or Van Dijk. I want Madrid to worry Liverpool, not the other way around.
“I don’t think it has changed the quality of Liverpool at all. We expect a tense game, we will be under a lot of pressure, it’s a game where you don’t have time to breathe and we know very well what awaits us and we are well prepared for it.”
Veteran Real midfielder Luka Modric won his fifth Champions League title in Paris last summer, but he still doesn’t know if this will be his last fight with the LaLiga club as the 37-year-old point guard approaches the end of his contract.
“I can’t tell you anything about my new contract, as I haven’t talked to the club yet,” said the Croatian international.
“You don’t have these conversations in the middle of the season, I’m very comfortable. I am in no way offended by this.
“It’s kind of boring to ask this question because the answer I get is the same: ‘I want to stay here, I want to stay, I feel good and I want to continue as part of Real Madrid’.
“I want to deserve to stay by my own virtue, not by someone giving it for free.
“In my career, no one has given me anything for free, and I don’t want that to happen now.
“If the club wants to give me a contract then that’s great but only on merit, just on what I’m doing now, not on what I’ve accomplished and my past. Let’s see what happens.”