MADRID-. The Spanish league will denounce what he called the “regrettable racist chants” against the forward of the Real Madrid Vinícius Júnior prior to the Atlético de Madrid match in the Champions League.
Video images broadcast on social networks captured a small group of Atlético fans shouting ‘Ale, Ale, Ale, Vinícius chimpanzee’ in the run-up to Wednesday’s match against Inter Milan in the round of 16 of the European tournament.
The video, in which the fans add “Vinícius chimpancé” to one of their traditional songs, was published by the website Agente Libre Digital.
In a statement released on Thursday, the League indicated that it will report the incident to the Hate Prosecutor’s Office. He added that he will perform despite the fact that the chants occurred in another competition and outside the Metropolitan stadium.
“The League is very committed to football being a space free of hate and will continue to relentlessly pursue any attitude of racism, homophobia, violence, hatred… regardless of the competition,” he declared.
Vinícius asked for UEFA’s intervention when referring to the incident in a message he published on his X account, the social network previously known as Twitter.
“I hope they have already thought about his punishment, the Champions League and UEFA. It is a sad reality that happens even in games where I am not present,” the Brazilian attacker remarked alongside the video.
Hate chants against Vinícius were also reported ahead of the Barcelona-Napoli match in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Cadena SER published a video in which Barcelona fans shout “Die, Vinícius” prior to the match that the local team won 3-1 at the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium in Montjuic. The Madrid player has also been the focus of insults in other games against Barcelona.
Vinícius, who is black, has suffered racist insults since arriving in Spain six years ago.
Atlético fans sang “Vinícius, you are a monkey” in 2022 outside the Metropolitano. Spanish prosecutors decided to shelve an investigation related to the incident, citing that it was impossible to identify the perpetrators.
Furthermore, in 2023, Atlético fans hung an effigy of Vinícius on a road bridge in Madrid prior to a capital derby in the Copa del Rey. Prosecutors sought sentences of four years in prison for the radical Atlético fans who were accused.
The racist insults he received from Valencia fans in a La Liga match at the Mestalla stadium last year sparked a wave of support for the Brazilian star, and the Spanish authorities had to take measures to strengthen the fight against racism in football. and society in general.
Spain and Brazil will meet in a friendly match at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium on March 26 in order to highlight the fight of both countries against racism.
Source: Ap
