Double standards with Vinícius, Mbappé, Konaté: Barça ignored Ceuta | OneFootball

Vinícius, Kylian Mbappé and Ibrahima Konaté have become the focus of a controversy that lays bare the double standard surrounding Spanish football. The three Real Madrid players stepped onto the Martínez Valero pitch with the shirt in support of Ceuta rolled up to chest height, hiding the slogan “We are all caballas,” and took it off before the rest of their teammates.

The gesture has sparked criticism, headlines and all kinds of interpretations. However, just two days earlier, FC Barcelona visited Levante and none of its players wore that same shirt. The Valencia-side team did display the message of solidarity with Ceuta, while the Barça players stayed on the sidelines. Back then, there was no national scandal, no public grilling, and no campaigns targeting Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Pedri or the rest of the squad.

Barça said no and nobody looked for culprits

The comparison is damning. Barcelona decided not to take part in the initiative and the matter went almost unnoticed. By contrast, Vinícius, Mbappé and Konaté did come out wearing the shirt, even if they had it rolled up and did not fully show the message, and they have ended up in the dock.

Their behavior can be criticized and they can be asked to explain it. What does not seem reasonable is to turn the gesture of three footballers into a major scandal while staying silent when an entire club like Barcelona chose not to join the tribute.

Even more so after what happened with Ez Abde. The Moroccan international for Betis received insults and threats from Morocco for wearing the shirt and had to explain publicly that it was a social gesture, not a political one. That precedent shows the pressure that can exist around an apparently simple initiative.

A controversy judged by two different shirts

Real Madrid, as a club, did back Ceuta. Most of its players displayed the slogan alongside Elche’s footballers. Vinícius, Mbappé and Konaté acted differently, but they still have not explained their reasons, and interpretations should not be presented as proven facts.

The question remains unavoidable: why is individual and visible support demanded from three Real Madrid players when Barcelona was allowed to stay completely on the sidelines with hardly any consequences? The shirt was the same, and so was the message. The only thing that seems to have changed is the badge.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.