The Bernabéu will see a high-voltage match tonight between Real Madrid and Valencia, the first time that both have faced each other since the racist incidents with Vinícius at Mestalla on May 25 of last season. Madrid has provided 479 tickets to Peter Lim's club and Valencia has asked its fans to limit themselves to cheering for their team and not engage in possible provocations from rival fans. The Valencian media has been warning all week of a possible set-up.
Carlo Ancelotti tried to calm things down yesterday by assuring that "the Valencia fans who come will do so with maximum peace of mind."
In Madrid there is already enough of the constant criticism that comes from Valencia and it is believed that with these attacks, trying to make the victim (Vinícius) the culprit, they are trying to cover up the decline of a historic club that has been in full decline for years.
After last week's draw against Rayo, Madrid does not want any more league distractions. Whether he likes it or not, the focus will be on Vinícius, who improved in the second half against Braga on Wednesday. In the white club, the obsession is also to redress Vinícius's situation and his ease in becoming unhinged and leaving the game between provocations to the rival and reproaches to the referee.
Ancelotti already said this week that although "he saw Vinícius improved, he had been out of place for a couple of games." Bellingham himself, at 20 years old, sent a message to the Brazilian through social networks: "Better with a smile." Or in other words, let him focus on the game and forget about the rest, let him be part of the solutions and not the problems.
For the match, Ancelotti recovers Bellingham, who will be the starter, already improved from the dislocation of his right shoulder suffered against Rayo. The Englishman is, by far, the figure of the team, with thirteen goals in thirteen games. Kepa Arrizabalaga is out (suffered from a muscle injury in the warm-up against Braga) and Arda Güler is out again, who has relapsed and has another month. The Turk has not yet debuted. The list of absentees is extended to Rüdiger, who cannot play due to the accumulation of cards. Dani Ceballos has not recovered in time either. And they still have time ahead of them to return: Thibaut Courtois, Éder Militao and, somewhat less, Aurelien Tchoauméni.
The big doubt in the whites' eleven is whether Brahim Diaz, the best this Wednesday, will start again. Also, if the point of the attack will be for Rodrygo or Joselu and who of the two veterans will play: Modric or Kroos.
Valencia arrives at the event without qualifying urgency after not knowing defeat in the last four rounds of the championship and having added eight points, consolidating itself in the upper-middle zone of the table.
If they win, Valencia would also break a long streak of five consecutive league defeats at the Bernabéu, where they have not managed to win in their last fifteen visits. Their last victory, (2-3) dates back to the 2007-08 season.
Valencia will also have casualties tonight. Mouctar Diakhaby, starting centre-back, and André Almeida and Selim Amallah, regulars in Pipo Baraja's midfield, will not be there due to injury. Nor, the forward Alberto Marí. Center back Cenk Özkacar and full back Jesús Vázquez return to the squad.
Madrid will hold its annual meeting of delegate members in the morning, which appears calm. In it, the name of Florentino Pérez will be given to the sports city of Valdebebas and Pirri will be named honorary president.
