Referee Chief Borbalán: 'Today, Refs Are Obligated to Act' — From Vinicius to the Dani Alves Banana Incident
Ex-ref and RFEF technical director Borbalán spoke at an anti-racism event in Almería, reflecting on Vinicius, Eto'o, and the infamous Dani Alves banana moment.
A fascinating anti-racism event in Almería brought one of Spanish football’s most respected former officials into the spotlight — and he had plenty to say about how the game has changed, and how far it still needs to go.
The Almería Event
LaLiga, the Almería City Council, and the Junta de Andalucía joined forces outside the Estadio de los Juegos Mediterráneos for a day of reflection under the banner “Combatir el odio desde el compromiso” — roughly, fighting hate through commitment. Among those on the panel was David Fernández Borbalán, an Almería native, former international referee, and current technical director of the RFEF’s Referees’ Technical Committee. UD Almería boss Rubi was also in attendance.
Vinicius in Lisbon — A Teachable Moment
With the Benfica vs Real Madrid Champions League incident still fresh, Borbalán revealed that Spanish referees had already been briefed:
- He confirmed that a meeting with all Primera and Segunda División refs took place the very day of the event
- The Lisbon incident was used as a case study for what to do if something similar happens on Spanish soil
- His key point: referees today are obligated to activate the protocol the moment they hear anything
On the specifics of Lisbon, Borbalán was careful. He noted that referee François Letexier hadn’t actually heard anything himself, but acted correctly once Vinicius reported the abuse — consulting assistants and VAR, then triggering the protocol. Even if nothing can be confirmed, the ref must log it in the match report and set the wheels in motion. Proper procedure, done right.
Eto’o, and a Different Era
Borbalán didn’t just talk theory. He recalled a personal experience — refereeing an Atlético vs Barcelona match where Samuel Eto’o was subjected to racist chanting from the stands.
- He heard it. He knew what was happening.
- But back then? No protocol. No obligation to act.
- “Today the referee is obligated to activate the protocol as soon as he hears something” — a stark contrast to how things were.
It’s a grim reminder of how normalised this stuff was, and how long it took the sport to actually do something about it.
The Dani Alves Banana — A Moment That Left Even the Ref Baffled
Perhaps the most vivid bit of the afternoon was Borbalán’s account of that moment — the banana thrown at Dani Alves during a Villarreal vs Barcelona match at El Madrigal.
- Borbalán didn’t see it land. Didn’t see it on the pitch.
- His assistant kept buzzing in his earpiece: “A banana, a banana.”
- He was genuinely confused about what was going on
- Then Alves walked over, picked it up, peeled it, took a bite, and calmly took the corner
- Borbalán admitted he spent the rest of the match stressing about how to write it up in his report
No protocol existed at the time. The whole thing left him completely thrown. It’s a story that shows just how unprepared football was — and in fairness, how Alves’ response was more powerful than any red card could’ve been.
LaLiga’s Take
José Antonio Montero from LaLiga’s public affairs team also weighed in on the Vinicius situation, being careful with his language — noting that while a racist act presumably occurred in the Champions League, nothing has been formally proven yet. He did, however, say Vinicius’ reaction was “very significant.”
All told, it was a proper, thoughtful afternoon — the kind of conversation Spanish football needs to keep having.