'chimy' Ávila's Aggression Against Vinícius That Wasn't Seen on Television

The clash against Real Betis took place last Saturday and in the capital, they are already counting the hours for the first 'Euroclassic' of the Champions League round of 16. But the controversy of the match at the Benito Villamarín stadium continues, especially after the images of an incident between 'Chimy' Ávila and Vinícius Jr. The Betis striker, during a corner kick, approached his Madrid rival.

Knowing that the '7' in white had already received a yellow card, Luis Ezequiel Ávila approached Vinícius to try to get under his skin. Constantly seeking physical contact, the '9' in green and white wanted to force the expulsion of the verdeamarela star. But in his attempts, he went a step further and crossed the line with a possible aggression that wasn't seen on television.

The referees of the match, Hernández Hernández on the field and García Verdura at the controls of the VAR, didn't see it either. In the post-match images published by DAZN, it can be clearly seen how 'Chimy' Ávila, seeking to provoke Vinícius, goes as far as to grab him forcefully by the left ear. That unthinkable gesture has caused a strong indignation among Madridists, given that the Betis forward will be available for the next match of Manuel Pellegrini's team.

The absence of disciplinary action against 'Chimy' Ávila has led some fans of the white club to question the reverse situation. Some argue that, if Vinícius had been the aggressor, it would have taken very little time to proceed with his expulsion. Once again, the South American footballer from Real Madrid, without having intended it, is at the center of the controversy.

Looking to the Future

The defeat of the merengue team in Seville is a considerable competitive setback in LaLiga, a competition in which they enjoyed a significant lead of four and seven points. That gap with the second and third place, respectively, has been narrowing in recent matches. The first 'slip' was a defeat, also with refereeing controversy, at the RCDE Stadium.

The draws in the Madrid classic at Santiago Bernabéu and at El Sadar, irregular performances by the team coached by Carlo Ancelotti, have been capped by the defeat in Andalusia. Without all those points, FC Barcelona and Atlético de Madrid have clearly surpassed the merengue team, which now must redeem itself in the top European competition.

The 'Euroclassic' to be played at Santiago Bernabéu, without Jude Bellingham, is an excellent opportunity for vindication. Among the players who will draw attention is Vinícius Jr. himself, as many expect him to be as decisive again as he was on previous occasions. So far, he hasn't been able to regain that status due to the presence of teammates like Kylian Mbappé: the French striker scored a hat-trick in the last Champions match.

Additionally, the clash against Atlético de Madrid will serve to distance from the constant refereeing controversy surrounding Real Madrid. The sending of the letter to RFEF and CSD, after the match at the RCDE Stadium, has caused multiple reactions in the clubs and governing entities of Spanish soccer... which considerably surprise in the offices of Valdebebas.