In the wake of devastating flash floods that have claimed over 215 lives in the Valencia region, Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has voiced a strong opinion: football in Spain should have been put on hold. While matches involving Real Madrid and Villarreal were postponed following a request from La Liga to the Royal Spanish FA (RFEF), six other top-flight games proceeded as scheduled over the weekend, prompting Ancelotti to question the priorities of the sport.
“Football is a party, and you can only celebrate when you, your family, and everybody are well. When people are not well, you don’t party,” Ancelotti stated, emphasising that the beautiful game should take a backseat during such tragic circumstances. He added, “Football has to stop because it is the most important of the least important things in life.”
The decision to continue with certain matches has drawn criticism from fellow coaches. Atletico Madrid’s Diego Simeone expressed that it made “no sense” for games to go ahead, while Barcelona’s Hansi Flick indicated he would have preferred to cancel them altogether. Ancelotti’s comments resonate with this sentiment, as he pointed out that “everyone has been clear about it—nobody wanted to play.”
As the situation unfolded, six Copa del Rey matches involving La Liga clubs, including Valencia, were postponed last week due to authorities advising against non-essential travel in the affected areas. The severity of the flooding, which has seen a year’s worth of rainfall in parts of Valencia, has led to widespread disruption, including the cancellation of over 60 flights at El Prat Airport and the suspension of rail services.
Reflecting on the gravity of the situation, Ancelotti noted that football matters have been put into perspective by the tragedy in Valencia. “It was supposed to be a special game for me, facing Milan. But there is no meaning in talking about football now,” he said, acknowledging the emotional toll the events have taken.
As Real Madrid prepares to host AC Milan in the Champions League group stage on Tuesday, Ancelotti remains focused on the human aspect of this crisis. The recent events have overshadowed footballing achievements, including Vinicius Jr.‘s close second in the Ballon d’Or race and the team’s heavy loss to Barcelona.
The situation escalated further when Spain’s king and queen were confronted with anger from local protesters during their visit to Paiporta, one of the hardest-hit towns. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez also faced backlash, leading to a swift evacuation from the area.
