Real Madrid star and 22-year-old Brazilian Vinícius Júnior was subjected to immense racism during Sunday’s defeat against Valencia at Mestalla stadium. The young star received racial slurs from the stands, which Jr. pointed out, resulting in the match being stopped for roughly 10 minutes. Afterwards, he got into an altercation with Valencia’s players, leading to him being sent off in the second half.
Taking to Twitter after the game, Jr. wrote: “It was not the first time, nor the second, nor the third. Racism is normal in LaLiga. The competition considers it normal, the federation considers it normal and the rivals encourage it.”
“The championship that once belonged to Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Cristiano and Messi today belongs to racists. A beautiful nation, which welcomed me and which I love, but which agreed to export the image of a racist country to the world,” he continued.
Closing out the statement, he added: “Spain is known as a country of racists.”
Footage from the match broadcast by DAZN España also captured the moments during which Jr. received the racist remarks. In a statement given on Monday, Valencia confirmed that local authorities had gotten involved and managed to identify one fan (among others) who would be further investigated and subsequently banned from the stadium for life.
Additionally, on his personal Instagram account, Vinícius Jr. posted a story saying, “The prize that racists won was my expulsion! ‘This isn’t football, this is @LaLiga.’”
LaLiga president Javier Tebas commented on the matter, telling Jr. to “inform” himself properly. He wrote: “Do not let yourself be manipulated and make sure you fully understand each other’s competencies and the work we have been doing together.”
In response, the Brazilian bit back at Tebas: “Once again, instead of criticizing racists, the president of LaLiga shows up on social media to attack me. … I am not your friend to talk with about racism. I want actions and punishments. Hashtags don’t move me.”
In light of the incident, La Liga issued a statement of their own, announcing an investigation would be underway.
“In the face of the incidents which took place during Valencia CF vs Real Madrid CF in the Estadio de Mestalla, LaLiga wishes to inform that it has requested all the available images to investigate what happened. LaLiga will also investigate the images in which racist insults were allegedly uttered towards Vinicius Jr. outside of the grounds of Mestalla.”
This isn’t the first time Vinícius Jr. has been subjected to racism; it has happened multiple times throughout the season, but the young talent is determined not to let it faze him. In fact, LaLiga went on to list nine separate incidents from the past two seasons that were reported to the Competition Committee of RFEF, ensuring that it had taken the appropriate legal action towards each and every one of Jr.’s experiences.
LaLiga are also allegedly investigating a separate incident wherein a mannequin dressed in a jersey sporting Jr.’s number was hanged from the bridge outside the Real Madrid training ground.
