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With the game close and two teams facing each other with the impetus of two gangs in the center of the field, Aurélien Tchouameni remained on the sidelines of everything, isolated on the right flank, looking at the ground without moving a muscle. A statue in the middle of an anthill. At that moment, with Mestalla spitting fire, after the most intense match in memory in Valencia, the Frenchman only thought about Mouctar Diakhaby and that leg turned into a foreshortened leg. While each of them engaged with the first one who passed in front, the Frenchman raised his head, looked at the stands and offered a sign of forgiveness to the Valencian fans. After two hours full of challenges, a gesture of humanity. Minutes later, already with a cell phone in his hands, he took his X account (formerly Twitter) and apologized, quoting the Valencia player directly: “I’m really sorry for what happened, Diakhaby, I wish you a speedy recovery.”
2
Mamardashvili, Foulquier, Gaya, Cristhian Ibarguen, Mouctar Diakhaby (89 mins), Francisco Martinez (72 mins), Sergi Canos (57 mins), Javi Guerra, Pepelu, Hugo Duro and others Yaremchuk (Diego Lopez, min. 57)
2
Andriy Lunin, Dani Carvajal, Rüdiger, Ferland Mendy (Fran Garcia, min. 72), Aurelien Tchouameni, Federico Valverde (Nacho, min. 85), Jude Bellingham, Kroos (Modric, min. 63), Camavinga (Joselu, min. 72), Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo (Brahim Diaz, min. 63)
Goals 1-0 min. 27: Hugo Duro. 2-0 min. 30: Yaremchuk. 2-1 min. 50: Vinicius Junior. 2-2 min. 75: Vinicius Junior.
Referee Jesus Gil Manzano
Yellow cards Yaremchuk (min. 3), Vinicius Junior (min. 71), Federico Valverde (min. 80) and Mouctar Diakhaby (min. 82)
red cards Jude Bellingham (min. 99)
Meanwhile, already in the press room, Carlo Ancelotti, with his usual elegance, protested without seeming to protest. But the coach was very clear when referring to the last play and the goal disallowed by Gil Manzano. “It’s something unprecedented,” he blurted out without thinking much. And then he insisted: “It is something unprecedented; it never happened to me. “I think the game should have ended when Valencia’s possession began.” The Madrid coach also did not understand the referee’s decision to give Bellingham the red card due to his protests. “He hasn’t said any insults, he just told him in English ‘fucking goal’, which is the truth, what we all thought, ‘fucking goal’. It was quite normal after what happened. “It wasn’t an insult at all.” At the end of his appearance, he received a question that was intended to increase the level of his protest, asking him if it was not a “scandal,” but the Italian refused. “I have said what I have said, which is something unprecedented.”
Vinicius was much more direct and, as is also usual for the Brazilian forward, he was very direct in his statements. “We haven’t won because they haven’t let us,” he said in a presumed allusion to Gil Manzano’s controversial decision.
Ancelotti, despite everything, wanted to give its value to the point taken from a heated stadium against his team. “This was a very complicated match due to many things, and due to a strong, well-organized opponent, with a lot of intensity, who created many difficulties for us in the first half. A draw in Valencia, on a very difficult field, is a very important point.”
Where some saw a night full of tension, a high-voltage match, Rubén Baraja saw an exemplary performance by the Valencia fans. “Mestalla has nothing to prove but today was an opportunity to show what kind of fans we are. They pushed and, as always, they whistled and whistled, but without disrespecting anyone, without entering into individual assessments. And Mestalla has once again given a good feeling. “We have proven to be a fantastic fan.”
El Pipo also did not see controversy where Ancelotti understood that something “unprecedented” had happened, a goal disallowed because the referee, he said, had decided to blow the final whistle just when his striker scored 2-3. Baraja believes that the play had ended a little earlier. “I see that the referee says that it is the last action and that he is blowing the whistle before the Real Madrid player crosses, so there is no goal disallowed.”
The coach of the black and white team arrived at his appearance before the media without having information about the extent of Diakhaby’s injury, although he fears that it could be serious after seeing the reaction of his teammates.