Just a day after the official announcement of Vinicius Junior's sanction following the controversial match against Valencia on January 3, Barça, through its vice-president and spokesperson, María Elena Fort, expressed its shock and outrage at the punishment imposed by LaLiga and the RFEF.
As the Catalan club navigates a complicated period since December, struggling to register Dani Olmo and Pau Víctor for the second half of the La Liga season, Barça is taking advantage of Vinicius Junior's situation to plead their case.
This Wednesday, María Elena Fort, Barça's vice-president and spokesperson, spoke out. In an interview with 'El Mon' on 'RAC1', the Catalan club's representative expressed her outrage and shock at the "lenient" two-match ban imposed on the Real Madrid attacker following his controversial red card against Valencia.
Barça's Unexpected Outburst
Considering Vinicius Junior violently assaulted the Valencia goalkeeper and misbehaved towards the referee during his expulsion, Fort expected a much harsher sanction than the two-match suspension requested by the Spanish Football Federation's competition committee.
"This demonstrates what Barça faces every day. It's not proportional when compared to what Hansi Flick experienced," Fort estimated, claiming that the Catalan club is always punished more severely than others.
It's worth noting that during her intervention on RAC1, relayed by Marca, Barça's spokesperson focused on the case of unregistered players. Using Vinicius Junior's case, which many Catalans hoped would result in a minimum four-match ban, Fort aims to guilt-trip LaLiga and Javier Tebas. According to the Catalans, Real Madrid is heavily favored, unlike them, which is not entirely accurate.
Recent Gross Injustices Against Real Madrid
In the 12th-round match played at Mestalla against Valencia last Friday, it's essential to note that the referees made crucial mistakes. Firstly, Kylian Mbappé's disallowed goal for a non-existent offside despite VAR use in the 58th minute. With Real Madrid trailing, that magnificent goal would have relieved Ancelotti's players if it had been awarded.
From this significant error, the tension never subsided. Even regarding Vinicius Junior's reaction, which led to the red card, it's crucial to note that the opposing goalkeeper should have been the first to be sanctioned for his provocative gesture.
Today, despite Barça's complaints about the lenient sanction, it's clear that LaLiga has not been generous with Vinicius. In addition to the two-match ban, the Brazilian winger must pay a hefty fine of 600,000 euros, while Real Madrid will pay 700,000 euros.
For a team that has been a victim of significant refereeing errors in this match and for a player who endured racist chants and provocations throughout the game until his expulsion, this sanction is far from lenient.