La Liga
Factbox: Racism in Spain and La Liga – was Vinicius Jr’s case unusual?
Real Madrid’s Brazilian forward Vinicius Jr has called La Liga and Spain racist after receiving racial slurs from the stands in Sunday’s defeat at Valencia’s Mestalla stadium.
Spain is not alone in suffering from racism in its stadiums.
Racism has been a long-running problem in Italian football, where authorities have also been criticised for not taking sufficient action. In April, 171 Juventus fans were given stadium bans for chanting racist abuse at Inter Milan striker Romelu Lukaku during a Coppa Italia semi-final earlier that month.
France national team players, including star forward Kylian Mbappe, were racially abused online after they lost the World Cup final to Argentina, and England’s Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka were similarly abused after missing penalties in the Euro 2020 final.
The following are some of the most significant episodes involving racism in recent Spanish football:
APRIL 2000
Malaga’s Dario Silva faced battery charges after punching an Oviedo fan who had allegedly hurled anti-Black slurs at him when the Uruguayan striker declined to sign autographs.
NOVEMBER 2004
During a Spain-England friendly at the Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, England’s Andy Cole, Rio Ferdinand, Jermaine Jenas, Jermain Defoe and Shaun Wright-Phillips were subjected to racist chants imitating monkey noises by Spanish fans. FIFA imposed a fine of 100,000 Swiss francs ($112,498.59) on the Spanish football federation RFEF.
NOVEMBER 2004
Barcelona forward Samuel Eto’o received a yellow card after lobbing a ball at Getafe fans following monkey noises from the stands. The Cameroonian would go on to celebrate some of his goals that season by making ape-like gestures parodying the racist chants.
MARCH 2005
Costa Rican striker Paulo Wanchope punched an “ultra” fan from his own club, Malaga, after a small group hurled racist slurs at him and made monkey noises following a match against Real Betis.
APRIL 2005
A banana was flung at Espanyol goalkeeper Carlos Kameni at Atletico Madrid’s Vicente Calderon stadium.
FEBRUARY 2006
Barca’s Eto’o threatened to leave the pitch in protest against racist chants at Real Zaragoza’s La Romareda stadium, though ultimately stayed on. The club was fined 9,000 euros ($9,907.20).
APRIL 2014
Barcelona defender Dani Alves had a banana thrown at him as he was about to take a corner kick at Villarreal’s El Madrigal stadium. Alves peeled the fruit and took a bite. A 26-year-old man was later arrested and charged with a “breach of fundamental rights and civil liberties”, fined 6,000 euros and banned from attending football matches for two years. Villarreal were also fined 12,000 euros.
AUGUST 2016
Referee Carlos Clos temporarily suspended a match between Sporting Gijon and Athletic Bilbao after racist chants against Bilbao striker Inaki Williams. RFEF’s Competition Committee ordered the partial closure of one of the stadium’s stands.
DECEMBER 2019
A second-division match between Rayo Vallecano and Albacete became the first to be cancelled because of offensive chants directed at players. Left-wing Rayo ultras had called Albacete’s Roman Zozulya – a white Ukrainian striker – a “nazi”. La Liga backed the referee’s decision saying it was “against all racism and xenophobia” in football.
JANUARY 2020
Racist chants against Bilbao’s Williams at Espanyol’s Cornella-El Prat stadium sparked the first xenophobic hate crime trial in Spanish football, with only one fan indicted. Prosecutors are seeking two years in prison, a fine and a stadium ban for him in the ongoing trial.
APRIL 2021
Valencia’s Mouctar Diakhaby said rival player Juan Cala cast racist insults at him at the Ramon de Carranza stadium in Cadiz. The entire Valencia squad left the pitch for a few minutes but later returned without the French defender to avoid a penalty. La Liga later said it had found no evidence Cala directed racist language at Diakhaby.
JANUARY 2023
Spanish police launched a hate crime investigation after an effigy wearing Vinicius Jr’s No. 20 shirt was hung from a bridge in front of Real Madrid’s training ground ahead next to a banner in Atletico Madrid’s red and white colours that read “Madrid hates Real”.
FEBRUARY 2023
La Liga filed a legal complaint after Vinicius Jr was racially abused by Real Mallorca supporters. In response, Mallorca withdrew a fan’s membership card for three years.
-Reuters
Joan Laporta has been re-elected as Barcelona president after winning over 68 percent of the vote and will begin his second consecutive term, and fourth overall, from July 1, the club said on Sunday.
The 63-year-old took office in March 2021 and stepped down last month in line with club statutes in order to seek re-election.
Laporta described the election as a “celebration of democracy and civic responsibility” and said the tasks ahead included finishing work on the Camp Nou and strengthening the men’s team.
-Reuters
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FC Barcelona have implemented a tailored nutrition and recovery programme for teenage star Lamine Yamal to help him observe Ramadan without compromising his performance levels.
The 18-year-old winger will once again fast during the holy month, having successfully balanced his religious commitment with first-team football last season. However, with competitive fixtures scheduled during Ramadan, Barcelona’s medical staff are taking additional measures to ensure his energy levels, hydration and recovery remain optimal.
Yamal’s first match while fasting is scheduled for Sunday at 4:15 p.m. against Levante.
According to Spanish outlet AS, the approach is not unprecedented at the Catalan club. Barcelona previously developed similar plans for Muslim players, including Ousmane Dembélé, Franck Kessié and Ansu Fati.
The strategy focuses on adjusting meal timing and hydration cycles to align with fasting hours, allowing players to maintain peak fitness while respecting their faith.
Medical experts at the club have emphasised the importance of a balanced iftar meal — avoiding overly heavy or rich foods that could interfere with rest or slow post-match recovery. Hydration protocols are also being closely monitored, with Yamal encouraged to maximise fluid intake during non-fasting hours to compensate for the daytime abstinence.
Balancing Faith and Performance
Ramadan fasting can pose physical challenges for elite athletes, particularly in high-intensity sports that demand sustained concentration and explosive energy. Barcelona’s performance team is therefore closely tracking Yamal’s workload and recovery metrics throughout the month.
Last season, the teenager demonstrated he could maintain high performance standards while fasting, strengthening confidence within the club that he will manage the demands effectively again.
For Barcelona, the initiative reflects a dual commitment — respecting the player’s religious observance while safeguarding the physical condition of one of their most promising talents.
As the fixtures unfold, attention will turn to how the young winger adapts during this period, with supporters and analysts keen to see whether he can once again combine elite football with spiritual discipline.
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- Summary
- Barcelona miss chance to regain LaLiga lead
- Girona’s Fran Beltran scores late winner
- Cubarsi calls for self-reflection after consecutive defeats
Barcelona were stunned by Girona, who roared back to win 2-1 at home in a breathless Catalan derby on Monday, as last season’s champions failed to return to the LaLiga summit, leaving Real Madrid top of the table.
Barcelona struck the woodwork twice in the first half, Raphinha hitting the post before Lamine Yamal fired a penalty against the same upright in added time after Dani Olmo was fouled inside the box.
Pau Cubarsi finally put the visitors ahead in the 59th minute, rising to head home Jules Kounde’s cross from a short corner, but Girona levelled three minutes later when Thomas Lemar converted from close range after Vladyslav Vanat’s cross was confused.
Fran Beltran sealed victory in the 87th minute, steering home from Joel Roca’s pass as the Montilivi stadium erupted.
Barcelona pushed for an equaliser but could not break through, even after Roca was sent off in added time for a reckless foul on Lamine Yamal.
Barca remain on 58 points, two behind Real Madrid, and have lost successive games in all competitions for the first time since October.
“We lacked a bit of everything. We need to be self-critical. We need to improve things and get our act together,” Cubarsi told DAZN.
“After my goal, they scored very quickly to equalise. We got them back into the game too quickly. We need to improve on those goals they score right after we take the lead. Keep your head down and improve.”
BARCA DOMINATE POSSESSION
Hansi Flick welcomed back Frenkie De Jong and Raphinha from injury after their absence in last week’s 4-0 Copa del Rey semi-final first-leg loss to Atletico Madrid, and Barca duly dominated possession early in the game.
Yet their finishing deserted them. Raphinha dragged wide after surging in from the left, while Yamal was denied from point-blank range by keeper Paulo Gazzaniga following a sharp counter down the right.
Girona were content to sit deep and spring forward, repeatedly testing Barcelona’s high defensive line with the pace of Bryan Gil as the former Tottenham Hotspur winger caused persistent problems for Jules Kounde down the left channel.
Gil’s surging runs carved out Girona’s best openings before the break. He twice set up Vanat, who was denied by an exceptional Joan Garcia, and the striker then squandered a gilt-edged chance in the 35th minute, slicing an effort from close range with no defender near him.
Yamal missed from the spot in added time before the break and the contest remained wide open after the interval, finally producing goals in quick succession.
Barcelona broke through in the 59th minute when Cubarsi rose highest from a short corner. Kounde delivered from the right and the defender twisted his neck to send a towering header into the top-right corner, beyond Gazzaniga’s desperate dive.
Their lead lasted barely three minutes, with Lemar equalising as Girona seized momentum, pushing Barcelona back, with Garcia producing two outstanding one-handed saves to keep out efforts from Vanat and Roca when both seemed destined for the bottom corner.
But the keeper was powerless in the 87th minute. Claudio Echeverri drifted across the edge of the box before giving the ball back inside to Roca who squared it to substitute Beltran, who took a touch, lifted his head and slotted into the bottom-left corner to ignite a sold-out crowd.
Girona, who had been on a three-match winless run and hovering near the relegation places, climbed to 12th on 29 points, while Barcelona were left to rue missed chances and a defeat that could yet loom large in the title race.
-Reuters
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