Reports emerged on Wednesday that Real Madrid defender Marcelo may be unable to play in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final against Chelsea due to his selection to work in a polling booth during a regional election.
Real Madrids Marcelo May May Miss Game For Election Duty
A day before the London game, Victor Chust, an injured teammate, has been recruited to work in the election in the area around the capital of Madrid.
After being asked for comment on the El Mundo article, Real has yet to provide a statement.
Marcelo will not be able to make the trip the day before the game unless he is released from his obligations on election day.
In a strange twist, Real Madrid’s standout defender Marcelo may not play next week against Chelsea for the Champions League team.
El Mundo, a Spanish publication, reports that Marcelo, a star Brazilian defender and starting fullback for Los Blancos, would be working at the polls on May 4 during elections for seats in the Madrid Assembly.
Marcelo, according to El Mundo, was “extremely unhappy by his election luck.”
Anyone who is qualified to vote in Spain can apply to work at the polls. The New York Times claims that despite Marcelo’s Brazilian birth, he has been a Spanish citizen for at least ten years.
A soccer player may theoretically use that as an excuse to avoid voting. According to the report, Aitor Fernandez, the goalkeeper for Levante, was given a waiver in 2019 so that he could play in a game on the same day.
It’s doubtful that holds true for Marcelo, though. We have elections on Tuesday and Real Madrid doesn’t play Chelsea until Wednesday night. The group will depart for London on Tuesday morning. Marcelo may not be able to go to London and get medical clearance to play on the same day according to COVID-19 protocols.
Last Words
Marcelo, according to El Mundo, was “extremely unhappy by his election luck.” When a scoreless first leg, Real Madrid and Chelsea played to a 1-1 draw on Tuesday after Christian Pulisic scored for Chelsea to become the first American to score in the quarterfinals of a major European club tournament.
Poll workers are compensated with 65 euros ($78) per day, so if Marcelo is forced to stay behind, at least he will get a tiny extra.
Ferland Mendy would be a good option to start at left back in place of Marcelo, but it is uncertain when he would be able to return from a calf injury.
