Ancelotti Slams Media Amid Vinicius Racial Abuse Controversy

Carlo Ancelotti, the coach of Real Madrid, has publicly criticized sections of the Spanish media for their treatment of Vinicius Junior, who has been the target of racial abuse. Ancelotti's remarks come in response to a controversial front page headline in Valencia-based newspaper Super Deporte, which labeled the young footballer as "Pinochius" and featured an image depicting an elongated nose on his face, a reference to the fictional character Pinocchio, known for his growing nose when telling lies. The controversy surrounding Vinicius escalated after claims emerged that he falsely stated in court that "all of the Mestalla stadium hurled racist insults" at him during a La Liga match last May at Valencia's Mestalla Stadium. Valencia Football Club expressed their rejection of these reports, while Super Deporte went further by accusing Vinicius of lying to the judge. Vinicius, the Real Madrid forward, recently appeared in court via video-conference to provide testimony about the racist abuse he endured during the match. Public prosecutors and La Liga filed lawsuits in response to allegations that several individuals directed racist slurs, including "monkey," and made other offensive gestures toward the player during Real Madrid's 1-0 defeat. Carlo Ancelotti addressed the situation in a press conference, emphasizing, "Vinicius has been a victim of racial abuse, be it one or 10 (insults), 1,000 or 10,000." He expressed his frustration with certain media outlets attempting to deflect attention from the incident and underscored the importance of acknowledging Vinicius as a victim of racial abuse. Real Madrid had previously deemed the chants against Vinicius a "hate crime," and Brazil formally lodged a protest with the Spanish ambassador over the incident. Three individuals were arrested on suspicion of directing the insults, with one of them identified by Vinicius himself at the stadium, while the others were identified through CCTV footage. As Real Madrid, currently leading La Liga, prepare to face Osasuna, Vinicius continues to regain his form after recovering from injury. Ancelotti faces defensive challenges due to David Alaba's ongoing injury, which may require fielding Antonio Rudiger alongside a player out of position, such as Ferland Mendy or Aurelien Tchouameni, in the upcoming match. Ancelotti expressed confidence in Tchouameni's defensive capabilities and