Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has criticised the decision of Spanish football’s powerbrokers to not suspend more fixtures in the aftermath of the deadly storms in Valencia.
More than 200 people have died and many more remain unaccounted for after flash floods buried towns surrounding the city in mud, carried away cars and left behind a scene of devastation.
Despite the tragedy, LaLiga matches largely continued this past weekend, with games on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, with only Villarreal against Rayo Vallecano and Valencia at home to Real Madrid postponed.
Ancelotti says the decision to continue with games was wrong, saying there was no “celebration” in playing football at such a moment – and adding that every head coach in Spain had felt the same way, but had no option but to comply with the directives of the sport’s governing organisations, LaLiga and the Spanish football federation (Rfef).
“A week has passed since the tragedy unfolded,” he said. “We’re very sad and we’re very close to all the people affected. Hopefully, this can be dealt with soon. In this respect, I want you to understand that talking about football at this time is difficult, just like playing.
“Football should have stopped this weekend. Football is a party and you can celebrate when things are going well, but when they’re not going well there’s no celebration to be had. It’s the most important of the unimportant things in life.”
He added that “we are not the ones in charge” and “we have zero power”, while also noting other clubs felt the same way. “All the coaches had the same opinion not to play,” Ancelotti said.
At many grounds around the country, messages of support to the city of Valencia were shown by fans or players.
While Ancelotti’s Real Madrid were one of the few sides who didn’t play at the weekend, they are in action in midweek for a Champions League clash with one of his former clubs, AC Milan.
Despite the demands on his team, the Italian boss acknowledged that it was not easy to prepare for the upcoming game, with the daily news cycle being a constant reminder of what has happened in the country and how much work lies ahead.
“It’s very difficult [preparing] as you don’t have your mind on your work all the time. Inevitably, it affects everybody. When you hear and read what has happened, it’s unbelievable and terrible,” he said.
“We have prepared for this game because we are professionals and we will try to play and win it. That’s what we have to do. We don’t really want to speak about football because, in comparison to what happened in Valencia, it’s not important. It’s our profession and we carry on, but everything else is secondary”.
Uefa have confirmed that every fixture in their three midweek competitions across the coming days will hold a moment of silence “in memory of the victims of the deadly floods in Valencia and all those impacted in the region and beyond.”