Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti tends to be friendly and relaxed in his press conferences, but with the Italian under intense pressure in recent weeks he has been a little sharper in his comments. One of those on the receiving end of his slightly tougher approach is Fede Valverde's wife, Mina Bonino.
During his press conference ahead of the Champions League match between Los Blancos and Atalanta, Ancelotti was asked about the fact that he has not substituted the Uruguayan often lately. Valverde has played in all but one of Los Blancos' last 77 games.
“Of course you think about sending him to the bench; but when you have so many injuries, and some of them long-term, it's complicated. Valverde is a special case because he has played as a winger, a pivot, a central midfielder, a winger…”
“If someone says they don't like him as a winger, I don't care. With him as a winger we won two Champions Leagues. He is a fundamental footballer for this team,” Ancelotti said.
As Relevo recalled, the ever-active Bonino had come out on social media to criticize Valverde's wide use: 'When are they going to understand once and for all that Fede is not a winger? '
Ancelotti noted at the press conference afterwards that Valverde had a back problem and that was why he took him out of the match. Bonino tweeted her frustrations, a 3-1 defeat to AC Milan. That was another curious case, with Valverde's camp seemingly denying that he had suffered an injury afterwards – he recovered and was able to play from the start in their next match against Osasuna.
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