Valverde: "What happened is lamentable, and we are going to help and support Vini Jr."

Fede Valverde played a very complete match at the Estádio da Luz. The Uruguayan analyzed the first leg of the Champions League playoff and spoke about what happened with Vini Jr.: "Nobody knows exactly what was said to him, but according to all the teammates who were nearby, something offensive or inappropriate was said. We have been fighting against this for a long time. It's unfortunate that a camera didn’t capture it. I think if you cover your mouth to say something, it’s because you’re saying something that’s not right. It’s lamentable. I’m proud of the teammates who defended Vini, who kept moving forward and played a spectacular match."

On whether the team should have left the field
"It’s something very serious. It has happened many times already. At this point, it could be an option, even if it doesn’t sit well with the spectacle of football. But there’s also a person who has damaged the spectacle by saying something inappropriate to Vini Jr.. It goes against everything we are working towards. We, as his teammates, will help and support him. Throughout the match, all kinds of things were said. I doubt there isn’t a camera that didn’t capture that."

The match
"We have to focus on the team performance, the match that Vini Jr. and Kylian played. They helped us a lot defensively, which was really needed today. They made spectacular plays up front, and I think we’re leaving with a good result. If we all run a little to press, recover the ball as quickly as possible, and stay united when we have to defend in our half, it becomes much easier. You feel much more energized when attacking, you’re much closer to the opponent's goal, and I think that showed today."

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Disclaimer: Translation generated by artificial intelligence. It may contain inaccuracies.