Atletico Madrid defender appears to target Real Madrid trio after derby win

Atletico Madrid defender appears to target Real Madrid trio after derby win Marc Pubill appeared to take a direct aim at Real Madrid stars after Atletico Madrid’s derby victory, posting a social-media message that referenced the controversy surrounding the three Madrid players who did not wear a pre-match shirt supporting Ceuta in the same way as their teammates. The Atletico defender shared a photograph from the 2-1 victory at the Metropolitano showing himself alongside Kylian Mbappe during the match.  Behind them, a banner displayed by the home supporters read: “Ceuta is Spain; it neither shrinks nor hides.”   For what it is worth, it can be interpreted that Pubill’s choice of image is a pointed reference to Mbappe, Vinicius Jr. and Ibrahima Konate. The post comes days after the issue first emerged before Real Madrid’s trip to Elche. Real Madrid players sparked Ceuta shirt controversy Real Madrid and Elche players walked onto the pitch before their match at the Martinez Valero wearing shirts carrying the message “We are all caballas” , showing solidarity with Ceuta.  March Pubill’s message on social media to Real Madrid players (Source: Instagram) Real Madrid themselves confirmed that the shirts were intended as a display of support for the autonomous city.  Mbappe, Vinicius and Konate were among the Madrid players who received the shirts, but their actions differed from those of their teammates.  Mbappe and Vinicius put the shirts on only partially before removing them, while Konate was also pictured with his shirt folded. That became a talking point, particularly after Real Madrid president Florentino Perez visited Ceuta alongside honorary president Jose Martinez Pirri and Emilio Butragueno several days later.  The delegation met Ceuta president Juan Jesus Vivas during the institutional visit.  Pubill reignites the controversy The controversy then followed the teams into the Madrid derby.  Marc Pubill has reignited the controversy. (Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images) Atletico supporters displayed the banner referencing Ceuta, linking it to the earlier actions of Mbappe, Vinicius and Konate.  Pubill’s decision to post an image with Mbappe in front of that message added more fuel to the fire, even though the defender did not explicitly explain the meaning of his post. The timing was notable given that Pubill had also been involved in one of the derby’s major talking points on the pitch.  A video circulating after the match showed Mbappe’s shot striking the defender’s hand, leading to claims on social media that Real Madrid should have been awarded a penalty.  However, the incident was not seen by the referee or VAR.