The move to the Champions League quarterfinals wasn’t easy for Real Madrid. Benfica was an important rival in a match that became more dramatic because of Vinicius’ controversy, in which he claimed he was discriminated against by Gianluca Prestianni. Marcel Desailly, a World Cup winner with France, backed the winger.
In the context of the Laureus Awards nominations, which honor individuals and teams in sport, Desailly described what makes Vinicius a victim and called for change.
Desailly said: “I’m happy to see Vinicius play. He can celebrate, he did it the last time he scored. There’s no problem with that part. The problem is the perception of him, we must end this and accept things must change. It’s unacceptable when this happens inside stadiums.”
Desailly on Real Madrid’s problems
It’s not been a normal season for Real Madrid since the start. The hiring of Xabi Alonso raised expectations in the capital that the team has not met. A brief surge under Álvaro Arbeloa has turned into another crisis.
Desailly backed the Brazilian player in the controversy (Angel Martinez/Getty Images for Laureus)
The loss at the Santiago Bernabéu to a modest Getafe angered the fans amid a run of disappointing performances, which the former French international described as more about mentality.
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Desailly said: “They are not calm, but they have individuals who can raise the level to help the team collectively reach what is expected of the famous Real Madrid. Meanwhile, they need calm.”
Desailly on the level of the World Cup
Desailly was a key part of the France team that won the World Cup in 1998. Although he saw red in the final against Brazil, he was an indispensable player in defense. His experience provided useful context to assess the tournament’s level.
The Frenchman said: “As to the matches, we’ll see how much the players give of themselves. But generally, the World Cup delivers great games. In Qatar the level was exceptional. This summer there could be even better matches than then.”
