Real Madrid’s challenges continued as they suffered a 3-1 home defeat to AC Milan in the Champions League, fueling frustration among fans and sparking reactions from players’ families.
The Santiago Bernabeu crowd made their displeasure clear, while tensions surfaced online as Fede Valverde’s wife, Mina Bonino, voiced strong opinions on social media, directing criticism toward Carlo Ancelotti’s tactical decisions and certain team dynamics.
Mina Bonino Critiques Valverde’s Position
Valverde, who inherited Toni Kroos’ No.8 shirt after the German’s retirement, has often played in a wide midfield role this season as Ancelotti aims to accommodate key attackers like Mbappe, Vinicius, and Jude Bellingham.
Bonino, responding to fans on Twitter as quoted by Mirror, insisted Valverde performs best as a central midfielder, remarking, “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?”
When a user criticized Valverde’s role in Morata’s goal against Milan, Bonino responded: “He’s playing as a winger. Did you know? Because I never see forwards being blamed for not dropping back, but the so-called ‘idiot’ who covers every position is.”
Ancelotti’s Response and Admission of Team-Wide Issues
Asked about Bonino’s comments post-match, Ancelotti downplayed the criticism from social media, explaining his decision to substitute Valverde at halftime due to back discomfort.
“I took him off because he wasn’t 100 per cent,” Ancelotti said, citing Valverde’s physical limitations rather than tactical concerns.
The Italian coach who recently defended Kylian Mbappe‘s stance in the squad acknowledged that the entire team shares responsibility for their current struggles, emphasizing that they must “take responsibility” together, whether they are winning or facing difficult periods.
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Upcoming Challenge Against Liverpool
Ancelotti’s side faces a daunting test in their next Champions League match against Liverpool at Anfield on November 27.
With two consecutive losses on their record and cracks showing in both tactical coherence and morale, the Real Madrid squad will need to address these internal and external tensions as they look to stabilize their season amidst intense scrutiny.
