Real Madrid pair Ancelotti & Nacho respond to Vinícius Jr’s spat with Diego Simeone | OneFootball

Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti, as well as captain Nacho, have provided their respective takes on Blancos star Vinícius Jr’s widely scrutinised exchange with Atlético Madrid boss Diego Simeone.

Wide-man Vinícius was of course back in the headlines late on Thursday, albeit for less than positive reasons.

Just days on from dazzling en route to a Spanish Super Cup finale hat-trick against Barcelona, the Brazilian toiled in Real’s Copa del Rey Last-16 showdown with city rivals Atlético.

Not only that, but he was caught on camera following the full-time whistle at the Wanda Metropolitano, embroiled in a heated back-and-forth with the aforementioned Diego Simeone.

‘Viní’ is understood to have provoked the Atléti bench during the clash, with Simeone having no doubt been keen to get his own back upon the full-time whistle confirming his side’s derby triumph.

Speaking to the media post-match, the latter, for his part, was keen to play the subject of the spat down.

And, in the hours following, both Real counterpart Carlo Ancelotti, and Blancos stopper Nacho, have moved to do much the same.

“Little by little, [Vinicius] will learn from this,” Ancelotti began. “It was a very competitive match and sometimes you’re not always able to keep a cool head. At some points in the game, I think this is quite understandable.

“I don’t know what happened [with Simeone]. For me, nothing happened. [Vinicius] had his opportunities, he fought well… I want to talk about that, I don’t want to comment on the rest at all.”

Nacho, meanwhile, echoed the words of his manager, before revealing that he too was at one point caught up in an argument with Simeone:

“It’s a derby. Everyone feels heated. I also had an argument with [Simeone]. This is football. Nothing happened. In this type of match, people are more wound up than usual.”

Conor Laird | GSFN