As the UEFA Champions League drama over the Real Madrid, Ajax game yet to be over, Madrid general director Jorge Valdano went on to accuse the UEFA officials of “Victimizing” the club.
“I can’t go into details but there have been many players who have done something similar and were not punished,” said Valdano to the Cadena Ser.
As both Xabi Alonso and Sergio Ramos were both shown red-cards after time-wasting, it was reported that Iker Casillas and Jerzy Dudek might also face possible punishment for passing on Mouurinho’s message to both players. Now with Alonso and Ramos both not eligible to play in the final group game against Auxerre, Valdano believes that UEFA need to pick up the slack as they continue to show a lack of consistency when it comes to disciplinary matters:
“Juninho was penalized financially. [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic and [Walter] Samuel, when they were at Inter, did something similar. There is no way to rely on the regulations. What happens at Real Madrid also happens at other clubs but [UEFA] are not as severe.”
Although Valdano might feel the need to call out the UEFA officials for a lack of consistency, other people are calling for UEFA to punish Real Madrid themselves. Who might just make these suggestions? Try a coach who admitted in wanting to try Mourinho’s tactics, Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger:
“Yes, I think there should be sanctions, I do not want to see that, it’s a pity to see that from a big club and, overall, when you see that it gives a bad image of our game – what we don’t want. I respect Real Madrid for their quality and for what they are doing but, whether it’s them or somebody else, you don’t want to see that on the football pitch. You can call what they did what you want, but it’s not what you want to see on the football pitch. You want to respect people who pay money to watch a game. What do they want? To watch a football game, not to watch these kind of things. You don’t want to accept that. You never say that it doesn’t cross your mind to do that. You have to be completely honest about it, but when you see how it looks on television, I must say it is the best demonstration to think ‘never do that again’ because it looks, frankly, horrible.”
What do you think about the charges from UEFA? Agree with Valdano about the lack of consistency? Think Arsene Wenger has a point in his statement? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below.
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