Ancelotti: It was strange VAR didn’t check Bellingham’s penalty!
Carlo Ancelotti, Real Madrid’s head coach, protested the referee’s decision and the lack of attention to Jude Bellingham’s fall in the opponent’s penalty area after his team’s 1-0 victory over Atletico Bilbao.
According to reports, Real Madrid managed to overcome Atletico Bilbao with a 1-0 result in a tough and difficult match. In this game, Real failed to score until the final moments, and the goal scored by Vinicius Junior was disallowed due to Andriy Lunin’s offside. However, in the third minute of added time, Federico Valverde scored the winning goal for Madrid with a stunning strike. Ancelotti expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance after the match and spoke about the referee’s decisions.
Valverde’s goal and the team’s performance?
Valverde was the key to the game because he scored. The team worked well. We were a bit slow in the first half, but in the second half, we performed well in every aspect. We wanted to win, to react to being eliminated from the Champions League, and Fede was our key player.
Refereeing decisions and VAR’s role?
This is modern football. Regarding Vinicius’s disallowed goal, I think there’s no doubt because it was about the automated offside technology. What wasn’t automated was that VAR didn’t call the referee to check Bellingham’s penalty. But well, this is modern football.
Vinicius’s performance?
Vinicius is an extraordinary player, with a great mentality and attitude. In the first half, perhaps he tried too hard, but he scored, and also gave some great passes. He will play a very important role in the upcoming games, not just because of what he does on the field, but because of the spirit he has.
Positive reaction from the fans?
I had no doubt that the fans would support us. They believe, like us, that we can still achieve something this season.
Goalkeeper for the Copa del Rey final?
Either Lunin will play in the Copa final, or Courtois. Or even Fran Gonzalez, who has been excellent whenever he’s played.
The team’s playing system?
The 4-4-2 system doesn’t necessarily mean I have to put four midfielders in the middle, because sometimes Vinicius and Rodrygo cover these spaces. Bellingham also gets close to the penalty area. This helps us a lot. He played very well in the second half.
