Today Mestalla hosts a heated duel of contrasts. The venue hosts the Valencia-Real Madrid, a match that was supposed to be played on November 2 but had to be postponed due to the DANA that devastated the Valencian province.
The match, which is usually tense, is a hostile visit for Vinícius, the protagonist of loud and controversial confrontations with the Che fans. He has also experienced racist episodes in the capital of Túria. A heated atmosphere is expected with the Brazilian.
The forward, who had been speculated that he wanted to show his Ballon d’Or at Mestalla – and who ultimately did not win it – returns to the Real Madrid squad after being dropped from the last 2024 list due to suspension. Valencia is one of the attacker’s main victims: in his ten appearances against them he has scored eight goals.
Although the Valencia team is aimless, their fiefdom is complicated for Carlo Ancelotti’s team. Of the last ten games, the locals have won five. In these duels, Mestalla is clothed in a different atmosphere and becomes a nightmare for the visitors, something that the Italian underlined at a press conference.
In addition, the team is starting the year with a new coach, Carlos Corberán. The club, installed in a deep and unprecedented sporting and institutional crisis, seeks to get back on its feet with Cheste’s. They have no choice, because they are looking over the precipice – they are second to last. The coach stated in the press conference prior to the match that the match is “an opportunity to grow, capture ideas and show commitment and energy.”
Corberán wanted to move the focus away from the momentous match against Madrid and sought to broaden the perspective: “All teams have nuances, I will not be the one to discover the team, but above Real Madrid my focus is on recovering the best version of my club.” .
Added to this is the tension of the social mass with Meriton, the owners. The opposition group Libertad VCF has proposed not entering the field as a sign of protest. On this issue, the new coach pointed out that he respects “every debate that exists around it,” but maintained that he knows the fans and that he feels that they will not abandon them: “They know the importance they have for the team, they are as knowledgeable or more than me of this. “I know how much they have suffered, but I feel like they are going to be there with us.”
A victory would give Madrid the provisional lead in the championship, although they would have one more game than Atlético. In this regard, Carlo Ancelotti pointed out that they want to start the year well: “This match is a challenge. The team is doing well and the rest has been good because everyone has returned motivated and in good shape.”
#drifting #Valencia #meets #Vinícius
