Madrid are said to be ‘very upset’ by the situation
Real Madrid managed to salvage a draw in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final against Chelsea on Tuesday night, as star man Karim Benzema once against stepped up when it mattered to equalise with an incredibly skilful finish.
Chelsea have the advantage going into the second leg at Stamford Bridge thanks to Christian Pulisic’s away goal, and the Blues will be encouraged by the news that Marcelo – Madrid captain on Tuesday night in the absence of Sergio Ramos – will miss the second leg.
He’s not injured, nor does he have Covid-19. No, he’s been randomly selected to work at a polling station for the local elections in Madrid on May 4th – the day before the game.
Marcelo filled in for the injured Ferland Mendy on Tuesday night, playing a hybrid role between wing-back and midfielder, but Zinedine Zidane now faces another selection dilemma with both his left-backs out.
The club will be praying Mendy returns to fitness before the second leg, or else they may have to field Nacho Fernandez, a right-footed centre-back, on the left of defence.
The club have reportedly tried, without success, to appeal the decision, explaining that an exception must be made for Marcelo to miss his civic duty at the polling station.
The Electoral Board has argued that he could join his teammates on the day of the match, 24 hours after they fly out to London, and therefore has no reason to skip this obligatory work.
But Real Madrid and Marcelo’s team are fighting to convince the Electoral Board that due to Covid protocols, the Brazilian must travel with the rets of the squad on May 4th.
I look forward to Florentino Perez somehow trying to pin this to some sort of conspiracy theory that incriminates footballing governing bodies in the coming days.
