Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti says he believes the weekend’s round of La Liga matches should have been postponed due to the flooding in Valencia.
Valencia’s Copa del Rey fixture at Parla Escuela, a team from just outside Madrid, was postponed last week before their La Liga home game against Real Madrid was also called off due to the disaster, which has killed more than 200 people.
All matches in the Valencia region were postponed over the weekend but the remaining nine La Liga fixtures went ahead, with multiple coaches including Barcelona’s Hansi Flick and Atletico Madrid’s Diego Simeone critical of the decision.
“I think the whole football world has been quite clear on this,” Ancelotti said on Monday when asked about the round of La Liga matches played at the weekend. “Nobody wanted to play and that seemed to me to be the right decision. We are not the ones in charge and we have to respect the decision of those in charge.
“It’s very difficult to prepare for a match like this because you have it in your head all the time. What happened was unbelievable and terrible.
“It’s been a difficult week — it’s a difficult week because the atmosphere is not normal, but nothing to do with the Ballon d’Or, which has already happened and we congratulate the winners… The sadness is not there, but in what is happening here in Spain.”
There were only two football-related questions during Ancelotti’s press conference, which was to preview Tuesday’s Champions League home game against AC Milan. Ancelotti also began the press conference with an address about the situation in Valencia, where he said the only emotion the team had was sadness.
“Let us hope that this can be resolved soon,” Ancelotti continued.” In this sense, I want you to understand that talking about football at this time is a bit complicated, just like playing football.
“We are part of this country and all this affects a lot. Out of respect for you and for all of you who are suffering, I will try to keep the press conference as simple as possible because I have no desire to talk about football, even if tomorrow’s game is very special for me. I will try to talk as little as possible.”
Earlier on Monday, Valencia also requested to the RFEF (Spanish FA) that the Parla Escuela game be postponed again after it was rescheduled for this Wednesday.
Madrid return to La Liga action next Saturday when they face Osasuna at the Bernabeu.
(Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
