LaLiga reports Valencia fans' vile chants targeting Mbappé and Arbeloa at Mestalla
Spanish football authorities crack down on offensive chanting from the Valencia faithful, with Real Madrid players bearing the brunt of coordinated abuse.
LaLiga has finally put its foot down on the disgraceful chanting that’s been plaguing Spanish grounds, filing formal complaints about the shocking abuse heard during last weekend’s fixtures.
The worst of the bunch? Valencia’s Mestalla Stadium, where the home fans spent 90 minutes giving Real Madrid players absolute pelters, including some proper nasty stuff aimed at Mbappé and former Madrid defender Arbeloa.
Valencia’s Mestalla Madness
The report to the Competition Committee and Anti-Violence Commission details a whopping ten separate incidents of coordinated chanting from the Gol Sur / Mario Alberto Kempes stand at Mestalla. Talk about a broken record!
The Valencia faithful were in full voice from the first minute, with coordinated chants targeting Madrid players throughout the match:
- Repeated offensive chants about Madrid players and fans starting in the very first minute
- A particularly vile chant aimed at Mbappé in the 55th minute
- Fans mocking former Madrid player Arbeloa in the 58th minute
What’s particularly concerning is how organised it all was. These weren’t just a few numpties mouthing off - the report specifically mentions the chants being “coral y coordinada” (choral and coordinated), lasting anywhere from 8 to 20 seconds each time.
Not Just a Valencia Problem
Valencia weren’t the only club in the dock. The LaLiga complaint also flags up dodgy behaviour at several other matches:
- Celta Vigo fans twice chanting “Písalo, písalo” (“Step on him”) at injured Osasuna players
- Alavés supporters targeting Getafe with offensive chants
- Sevilla and Atlético Madrid fans also in hot water for various inappropriate chants
Crackdown Coming?
This looks like part of a wider effort to clean up the Spanish game’s image. The authorities have been under pressure to address fan behaviour after several high-profile incidents in recent seasons.
The question now is whether these complaints will result in actual consequences. Spanish football has a bit of a reputation for being all mouth and no trousers when it comes to punishing this sort of behaviour.
For now, it seems LaLiga is at least trying to show they’re taking note of what’s happening in the stands. Whether that translates into proper action remains to be seen - but Valencia fans might want to watch their language next time the big boys come to town.