Vinícius hits out after alleged abuse: “It’s not football, it’s LaLiga”

Vinícius was in the eye of the storm at Mestalla on Sunday. The Brazilian forward saw red in stoppage time after a series of incidents that began with an alleged racist insult from the stands.

The Madrid man received his marching orders for pushing Hugo Duro in a brawl before referee Ricardo De Burgos Bengoetxea showed him a red card after going to VAR. “The prize that the racists have won was my sending-off. It’s not football, it’s LaLiga,” Vinícius posted in a story on his official Instagram account, pointing, as Carlo Ancelotti did later, to the organisation presided over by Javier Tebas.

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Vinícius hits out

Minutes after the first post, Vinícius again took to social media to amplify his message of condemnation and branded LaLiga as racist: “It wasn’t the first time, nor the second, nor the third. Racism is normal in LaLiga. The competition thinks it’s normal, the Federation thinks it’s normal and the opponents encourage it. I am sorry. The league that once belonged to Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Cristiano and Messi, today belongs to the racists. A beautiful nation, which welcomed me and which I love, but which agreed to export to the world the image of a racist country. I am sorry for those 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 defence. I agree. But I am strong and I will go all the way against the racists.”

Ancelotti: It’s a sad day

Carlo Ancelotti also took to social media to back up what he said post-match. “Today was a sad day at Mestalla, where a group of fans showed their worst side. It is time to stop talking and act forcefully. Racism has no place in football or in society. NO PLACE FOR RACISM”.

Valencia respond

After the game, both Valencia, in a statement, and Valencia captain José Luis Gayá condemned the racist insults hurled at Vinícius from the stands at Mestalla. The Valencia defender wrote: “We condemn it and that’s what the cameras are there for. If it’s clear who it was, I don’t think that person should be allowed at a football ground anymore. Racist insults make no sense at all”.

LaLiga has announced that it has already taken action on the incidents that occurred at Mestalla. They have requested the images available at the stadium to investigate what happened and if they detect a hate crime, as Vinícius claims, they will proceed to take the appropriate legal action. They will also investigate the images in which racist insults were allegedly directed at Vinícius outside Mestalla. And they added: “LaLiga has been proactive in the face of all racist incidents against Vinicius Jr. Thus, LaLiga has filed a complaint on nine occasions in the last two seasons before the RFEF Competition Committee, the State Commission against Violence, Racism, Xenophobia and Intolerance in Sport, the Hate Prosecutor’s Office and the Courts”.

LaLiga is asking for collaboration to “speed up the identification of any person or group of people who have been involved in racist behaviour in any stadium or outside it”. The following e-mail address is available for those with information: StopRacismo@laliga.es