Albacete condemn racist incidents after historic Copa win over Real Madrid
The La Liga 2 club has denounced racist chants and a banana being thrown onto the pitch, while expressing solidarity with Vinicius Jr following their cup upset.
Spanish minnows Albacete have taken swift action to condemn racist incidents that marred their historic Copa del Rey victory over Real Madrid.
Shameful scenes tarnish magical night
What should’ve been a night of pure celebration for the Segunda División side has been partially overshadowed by deplorable racist behaviour from a small section of supporters. Albacete Balompié released a statement addressing multiple incidents that occurred during and around their shock cup triumph.
The club expressed both pain and embarrassment that “terrible, undignified and reportable racist images” tainted what was otherwise a magical evening at the Carlos Belmonte stadium.
The statement reveals two particularly serious incidents:
- A banana was thrown onto the pitch during the match
- Xenophobic chants were heard from a small group of fans outside the stadium pre-match
Zero tolerance approach
The club has made it crystal clear they won’t stand for such behaviour, stating they’re working to identify the culprit who threw the banana and have requested assistance from relevant authorities and their own supporters in this effort.
Albacete have promised the strongest possible disciplinary measures, with the statement indicating they’ll seek to permanently ban the individual responsible from ever entering Carlos Belmonte again.
The club emphasized these isolated incidents don’t represent the values of true Albacete supporters, describing the majority of their fanbase as “exemplary”.
Solidarity with Vinicius Jr
In a particularly significant move, Albacete expressed explicit support for Vinicius Junior, who has repeatedly been the target of racist abuse in Spanish football.
The club statement concluded with a message of solidarity with both Vini, Real Madrid and all Madridistas, reaffirming their “total commitment to the arduous task of eradicating from football, and from society in general, any behaviour of a racist, xenophobic or discriminatory nature.”
What should’ve been a proper Bobby Dazzler of a night for the underdogs has been somewhat spoiled by the actions of a few idiots. Spanish football continues to grapple with these recurring incidents, despite increased efforts to stamp out racism in the game.