Vinícius Jr. reacts after receiving racist insults through gestures made by fans during the match between Valencia and Real Madrid at Mestalla Stadium on May 21, 2023 in Valencia, Spain. (Photo: Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images)
(CNN) — Real Madrid’s Brazilian striker Vinícius Jr. was the victim of racist chants during his team’s loss to Valencia at the Mestalla stadium in Spain’s La Liga, according to the club’s coach, Carlo Ancelotti.
The high point of the game occurred in the second half, when, after a break in the game, Vinícius Jr. pointed out a fan in the stands for the alleged insults before confronting the fans of the sector of the stands in question. The LaLiga television channels reported that there was an announcement in the stadium asking fans not to insult the players or throw objects onto the pitch.
The official match referee report described the incident.
“Racist insults: at minute 73, a spectator from the South Stand “Mario Kempes” addressed Real Madrid CF player number 20 Mr. Vinícius José De Oliveira Do Nascimiento, yelling at him: ‘Monkey, monkey’, which led to the activation of the racism protocol, notifying the field delegate to make the corresponding announcement over the public address system. The match was stopped until said announcement was issued over the stadium’s public address system,” it reads.
Vinícius Jr. was sent off in the final minutes of the match for his involvement in an altercation with Valencia player Hugo Duro.
Ancelotti addressed the situation after the game in statements to Movistar Plus : “I don’t want to talk about football today… when a whole stadium chants a player ‘monkey’ and the coach has to think about removing a player for it, something bad is happening in this league.”
In another interview with journalists, Ancelotti suggested that referees should suspend matches in other cases of racism in the league. The Italian said : “I am very sad because LaLiga is a competition with great teams with a good atmosphere. We have to put an end to this. We are in 2023, racism does not have to exist… the only way for me is to stop the game.” .
On his personal Instagram account, Vinícius Jr. posted a story saying: “The prize the racists won was my expulsion! ‘This is not football, this is @LaLiga’.”
Subsequently, the Real Madrid player published a longer statement on his Twitter . “It was not the first time, nor the second nor the third,” he said. “Racism is normal in LaLiga. The competition sees it as normal, the Federation also and the rivals encourage it. I’m very sorry. The championship that once belonged to Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Cristiano and Messi today belongs to racists.”
“A beautiful nation, which welcomed me and the one I love, but which agreed to export to the world the image of a racist country. I’m sorry for the Spaniards who disagree, but today, in Brazil, Spain is known as a country of racists”.
“And unfortunately, for everything that happens every week, I have no defense. I agree. But I am strong and I will fight to the end against racists. Even if it is far from here.”
Real Madrid quoted Ancelotti on their official social networks , but did not offer any official statement immediately after the game.
Valencia issued a statement shortly after the conclusion of the match on its website.
“Valencia CF wants to publicly condemn any type of insult, attack or contempt in football,” reads the text. “The club, in its dedication to the values of respect and sportsmanship, publicly reaffirms its position against physical and verbal violence in stadiums and regrets the events that occurred during the LaLiga matchday 35 match against Real Madrid.”
“Although it is an isolated incident, insults towards any footballer from the rival team have no place in football and do not fit in with the values and identity of Valencia CF. The club is investigating the facts and will take the most severe measures. In the same line, Valencia CF condemns any offense and asks for the utmost respect towards our own fans”.
Despite other Real Madrid players also claiming “monkey” chants had been uttered towards Vinícius Jr, including goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois , Valencia rejected Ancelotti’s claim that the stadium chanted “monkey”. “Valencia CF cannot tolerate someone accusing our fans of being racist, we strongly reject Ancelotti’s comments,” the message reads.
La Liga issued its own statement , announcing an investigation into the events that occurred in Mestalla. “Given the incidents that occurred during Valencia CF vs. Real Madrid CF at the Mestalla Stadium, La Liga would like to inform you that it has requested all available images to investigate what happened,” it says. “The League will also investigate the images in which racist insults were allegedly uttered towards Vinícius Jr. outside the Mestalla venue.”
Vinicius Jr. has been the object of racism on several occasions this season, as the LaLiga statement points out. La Liga authorities told CNN in March that they do not have the power to penalize fans or clubs for racist insults. Instead, LaLiga can only pass on any incidents of abuse to the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) or regional prosecutors, who treat them as legal cases before sporting punishments are applied.
“LaLiga has been proactive against all racist incidents against the Real Madrid CF player Vinícius Jr.”, continues the La Liga statement, before listing nine different incidents from the last two seasons that he had reported to the Competition Committee of LaLiga. RFEF, the State Commission against Violence, Racism, Xenophobia and Intolerance in Sport, the Hate Crimes Prosecutor’s Office and the Courts.
“Don’t let yourselves be manipulated and understand each other’s competencies and the work we have been doing together.”
Several big names in football have offered their support to Vinícius Jr. Former England and Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand said on his Instagram : “Bro you need protection… who is protecting @vinijr in Spain?
“How many times do we have to see this young man subjected to this s**t? I see pain, I see disgust, I see that he needs help… and the authorities don’t do a s**t to help him. People have to come together and to demand more of the authorities that run our sport. Nobody deserves this, and yet they are allowing it. There has to be a unified approach to this, otherwise it will be swept under the rug AGAIN.”
Milan striker Rafael Leao tweeted : “When will this end?” in response to the incident.
