Real Madrid dances past Atlético: its Brazilians make a statement against racism, Courtois in error | Football

Rodrygo danced. Vinícius Junior shook his hips.

Symbolic dances. Let them call, let them break us up. We score and we keep dancing. Against racism.

A supporter told the Civitas Metropolitano how several dozen Atlético fans opened their throats before kick-off: “Eres un mono, Vinicius eres un mono. (Vinicius, you are a monkey).” Similar chants were heard in the stadium – albeit suppressed.

The seed for those racist chants was planted earlier this week on El Chiringuito, a controversial football show on Spanish television. Pedro Bravo, president of the association of Spanish agents, said live on air that Vinicius should stop ‘to play the monkey’. Referring to his behavior. Referring to his dances after a goal.

Bravo: “When you score a goal and you want to dance samba, you should do it in the Sambadrome in Brazil. You have to respect your teammates. And stop playing the monkey.

Real Madrid condemned the comments with racist undertones in a statement. The club also announced legal action. Meanwhile, Bravo backtracked. He tried to straighten out what he’d said crookedly. He said that by that monkey he mainly meant ‘doing stupid things’ and it had nothing to do with skin color.

The perception was different. He caused a storm of indignation. Neymar and Pele, among others, expressed their support for their compatriot. La Liga joined Real: “In our league there is no place for racism or hatred.”

Several hundred Atlético fans thought otherwise. They will try to find them.

At Real they decided to focus on football after the statement. Ancelotti: “Vinicius is doing well. He wants to play. He wants to help the team to win.”

I will. It is precisely his Brazilians who lost the great rival Atlético in the derby. Rodrygo set up a one-two with Tchouameni, the other young wolf at Real. After a while, he slammed into the opener hard. Dance, dance, dance!

Luka Modric, the old master of Real, fed Vinicius fifteen minutes later. He ran out of everything and everyone on the left. The ball ended up at Valverde through the post. He kicked it from an oblique angle. Axel Witsel, again in defense, stood by and watched. Real’s danced to it.

The Champions League winner this season simply continues the line from last season. Even without the injured Karim Benzema. Anyone who sees Vinicius, Rodrygo, Valverde and co play football will understand why Eden Hazard does not get any further than that one raid and that one rare base place. The youth has left him behind. He stayed on the couch on Sunday. At the Red Devils, a compassionate national coach will let him pick up match rhythm.

Back to Real. If Ancelotti’s team gives something away in the back, Thibaut Courtois is there. Griezmann put him to work, but he will class that save as a routine save himself. Also Yannick Carrasco found Courtois on his way.

Ugly words for an ex-player resounded from the stands. Doesn’t touch his cold clothes. When he was thrown a projectile at the head in the second half, he neatly handed it over to the ref. He does not let such things pass.

A mediocre Atlético could hardly alarm a backwards creeping Real for an entire second half. Carrasco was allowed to rest in the lock. Witsel moved on to midfield.

At a corner, seven minutes before time, the connecting goal succeeded. Militao put his head against the cross, Courtois boxed past it and Hermoso scored. Communication error that will upset a goalkeeper. He prefers to avoid such phases, but he has never been flawless. So it happens to the best too. It had no serious consequences.

In a fiercely charged derby, pots boiled over once again. Substitute Hermoso was shown yellow, a second yellow card and red. All within a time frame of 20 minutes.

In the end, Real was able to go home with a perfect report – 18 out of 18. Atlético is already eight points behind.

Undoubtedly, a tree will be raised about racism.