Real Madrid have had a trickier start to the season than they might have anticipated, with injuries, a pair of draws and plenty of media attention complicating matters for Carlo Ancelotti. At the heart of the headlines have been Vinicius Junior, and to a lesser extent, Rodrygo Goes.
Vinicius’ declarations to CNN that the 2030 World Cup should be hosted elsewhere if Spain cannot improve its racism record has seen him become talking point for much of the recent international break, with heavy criticism from Spanish media and even politicians. Meanwhile Ancelotti has also been answering questions about Rodrygo, who has been vocal in his dissatisfaction about his lesser status than Vinicius or Kylian Mbappe, and his snub from the Ballon d’Or shortlist.
It was reported that Real Madrid are growing increasingly irritated by the fact that their players appear to speak much more during international breaks, and at various points have been in the middle of controversy as a result. As such, Marca say that Real Madrid have introduced a rule that all interviews must be run by them first, before they are done.
While it might not be the Brazilians’ faults that they became a huge story, certainly they have at times not aided their cause, and distracted from the football at hand. Vinicius reportedly feels there is a campaign against him in Spain, and perhaps a break from the press might do him well.
