La Liga will continue its battle against racism in all ways possible despite Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti pointing fingers at the league, Jose Antonio Cachaza, the managing director of La Liga India told Sportstar.
“We have to keep fighting, by going to courts and being vocal against such elements who bring disrepute to the game,” he said.
Madrid forward Vinicius Jr was racially abused by a fan at the Mestalla Stadium on Sunday during the match against Valencia. Despite pointing at the fan, no action was taken and later the Brazilian got sent off for hitting Valencia’s Hugo Duro in second-half stoppage time.
“Football should always be about bringing unity, joining different people and avoiding conflict. Of course, there will always be competition,” Cachaza said.
He further added that football should draw inspiration from the FIFA World Cup 2022, citing examples of France and Morocco on how second and third-generation migrants helped the nations to glory.
“George Orwell once said that football is a bloodless war. And that should be limited to the magic on the field. Those who don’t understand it and try to bring hate to football have no place in the sport,” he said.
This isn’t the first time Vinicius has been on the receiving end of racial abuse. From El Clasicos, (October 24, 2021, March 19, 2023) to many other La Liga matches, it has been a perpetual evil against the Brazilian.
Before the Madrid derby against Atletico in January, his effigy was hung from a bridge.
Cachaza said that the league was taking cognizance of every such case and will coordinate with the judiciary to ensure the perpetrators are punished.
“We will fight (racism) in every way we can,” he stressed.
On Monday, La Liga issued a statement that it will investigate the abuse against Vinicius Jr from inside and outside the Mestalla Stadium.
“In light of the incidents that occurred during the Valencia CF-Real Madrid CF match at the Estadio de Mestalla, La Liga has requested all available images in order to investigate what took place.
Once the investigation has been completed, if any hate crime is identified, La Liga will take the appropriate legal action,” the statement read.
Real Madrid – having won the Copa del Rey, UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup – is out of the race for the Champions League and La Liga. It will end the season with games against Rayo Vallecano, Sevilla and Athletic Bilbao.
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