"Thinking about taking a player out because of racism had never happened to me. What happened today (Sunday, Editor's note) has already happened to us, but in this way, no. This is unacceptable. Spain's La Liga has a problem with racism. And the problem is not Vinicius. Vinicius is the victim. But there is a very serious problem," the Italian coach told a news conference.

Throughout the match, the audience at the Mestalla stadium insulted the Brazilian player, but doubts remain about the content of the insults. Ancelotti heard the stadium shouting "mono", or monkey in Spanish, but a journalist told him at a press conference that spectators were shouting "tonto", which means "fool" in Spanish.

An explanation that did not convince Ancelotti. "Why do you think the referee interrupted the match? Because the audience was shouting +fool+ at Vinicius? No. The referee interrupted the match because he opened the racism protocol," said the Italian.

Around the 70th minute of play, Vinicius pointed at a supporter, then the players went to report the facts to the referee.

"It's La Liga"

"I asked him (Vinicius) if he wanted to keep playing, and he wanted to continue. The referee told me that he also had to continue, that he would apply the protocol if it happened again. But it happened again, because when he sent him off on a red card, the whole stadium started chanting "monkey, monkey"... This cannot continue... I am very sad," regretted the Italian technician.

In addition to this incident, another scuffle between the Brazilian striker and Hugo Duro led to the expulsion of "Vini" in the 90th+7, but the referee decided not to sanction Duro.

"What the racists have won is my expulsion. It's not football. It's La Liga," Vinicius said on Instagram after the match.

"Isolated act"?

In a statement released after the match, Valencia CF said it "publicly condemns any kind of insult, attack or contempt", and "regrets the facts that occurred" on Sunday, evoking, however, an "isolated act".

"The club is investigating the events that took place and will take the most severe measures," Valencia said in a statement.

"In all the stadiums in Spain, people are constantly disrespecting Vinicius," Ceballos told Movistar at the final whistle.

Scuffle between Real Madrid's Brazilian striker Vincius (c) and members of Valencia's technical staff, on May 21, 2023 in Valencia © JOSE JORDAN /

"If +Vini+ had said +I'm leaving the field+, I would have gone with him. It's something we can't tolerate," said Thibaut Courtois, who also heard "monkey cries around the 20th minute".

"There have already been complaints, but what has happened? Nothing at all. The one and only solution is to stop the game," Ancelotti concluded.

© 2023 AFP