Wife of Real Madrid midfielder lashes out at Carlo Ancelotti after half-time substitution | OneFootball

Real Madrid are facing a challenging period, highlighted by the wave of criticism following recent performances. Among the voices expressing disappointment is Mina Bonino, the wife of midfielder Fede Valverde.

Bonino’s frustration became clear on social media, where she voiced her displeasure over coach Carlo Ancelotti’s decision to bench Valverde for the second half in their recent defeat to AC Milan.

“If I say what I think, they’ll take me to jail,” she wrote on her social media channel.

Bonino’s displeasure

She went on to respond to a fan by emphasising that Valverde performs best as a midfielder, not as a winger. Her frustration seemed to stem from what she views as a mismanagement of Valverde’s positioning on the field.

She expressed a belief that his skills are underutilised when he is played out wide, a position that demands a different style of play from the midfield role where Valverde has proven to be highly effective.

“Fede plays best as a midfielder. What are you talking about? When are they going to understand once and for all that Fede isn’t a winger?”

Valverde’s wife was not happy with Carlo Ancelotti’s decision.

In the aftermath of Madrid’s recent defeat to Milan, criticism extended to Valverde’s involvement in one of Milan’s goals, specifically the one scored by Alvaro Morata.

A fan blamed Valverde, which prompted Bonino to defend her husband, noting that he had been playing out of his natural position as a winger.

“He’s playing as a winger. Did you know? Because I never see forwards being reproached for not dropping back, but the idiot who is everywhere is,” she wrote.

Ancelotti’s comment

When asked about Bonino’s comments, Ancelotti shared that Valverde wasn’t at full fitness during the game.

He explained that Valverde had been dealing with back issues, though he seemed to be in better condition during training.

Despite this, Ancelotti felt that Valverde wasn’t physically prepared to perform at his best, leading to his substitution.

“I took him off because for me he wasn’t 100 per cent, he had back problems, it seemed like he had recovered because he trained well yesterday but it seemed like he wasn’t at his best physical level, that’s why I changed him,” noted the manager.