Carlo Ancelotti takes a dig at Valverde’s Wife Mina Bonino

Carlo Ancelotti, the manager of Real Madrid, is typically known for his calm and amiable demeanour during press conferences. However, recent weeks of mounting pressure seem to have brought out a sharper edge in his responses. One person who found herself at the receiving end of his candid remarks was Mina Bonino, the wife of midfielder Fede Valverde.

Ahead of Real Madrid’s Champions League clash against Atalanta, Ancelotti faced questions about his decision not to rotate Valverde in recent matches. The Uruguayan international has featured in all but one of Los Blancos’ last 77 games, raising concerns about his workload.

Speaking about the same, he said, “You think about sending him to the bench, of course; but when you have so many injuries and some of them long-term, it is complicated. Valverde is a special case because he has played as a winger, pivot, central midfielder, and winger. If someone says that he doesn’t like him as a winger, I don’t care. With him as a winger, we have won two Champions Leagues. He is a fundamental footballer for this team,”

ALSO READ: Valverde’s Wife Criticises Ancelotti’s Tactics as Real Madrid Faces Challenges

Bonino Speaks Out About Valverde’s Positioning

According to reports, Mina Bonino had earlier expressed her frustration regarding the position of Fede Valverde on the pitch. She posted, “When are they going to understand once and for all that Fede is not a winger?” The comment was made after Valverde was deployed in a wide role during a 3-1 defeat to AC Milan.

After the game, Carlo Ancelotti addressed the matter in a press conference. He revealed that Valverde had been taken off due to a back issue. However, the situation raised eyebrows as it was later denied that he suffered any injury. The Uruguayan midfielder quickly returned to action, starting in the next match against Osasuna, adding another layer of intrigue to the episode.