LaLiga has condemned the racist abuse of Vinicius Junior by Atletico Madrid fans before Sunday’s derby clash at the Civitas Metropolitano.
Real Madrid won the contest 2-1 thanks to goals from Rodrygo and Federico Valverde, with Mario Hermoso’s late shouldered effort nothing more than a consolation.
That ensured Madrid went into the international break top of the table with six wins from as many games, but the match was marred by the actions of some Atletico fans.
A large group were videoed singing racist chants about Vinicius just outside the stadium before the game. The Brazilian had attracted much of the pre-game focus in the wake of Spanish football agent Pedro Bravo telling him to “stop playing the monkey” on TV in relation to his tendency to dance when celebrating a goal.
Bravo apologised and insisted it was not his intention to offend.
During Sunday’s game, there were also reports of racist chanting occurring inside the stadium, though the vile pre-game scenes had already become the focus thanks to the widespread sharing of videos on social media.
In a widely reported statement, a LaLiga spokesperson said: “We denounce all incidents inside and outside stadiums. We work with clubs to keep our football friendly and enjoyable.
“Hate speech has no place in La Liga and we always work with the clubs and the authorities to identify and bring to justice any such case.”
Atletico supporters also threw objects on to the pitch as Vinicius and Rodrygo danced while celebrating Madrid’s opening goal.
— Ferdinand A Baah
