(MENAFN) Sevilla expressed strong condemnation for the racist abuse directed towards their Argentine left-back Marcos Acuna and Spanish head coach Quique Sanchez Flores during their recent 1-0 victory in a Spanish LaLiga fixture against Getafe.
"We condemn the racist and xenophobic abuse suffered by Marcos Acuna and our coaching staff during #GetafeSevillaFC," Sevilla said in a post on X.
In the 68th minute of the match, the referee halted play due to allegations of racist chants originating from Getafe supporters. According to referee Javier Iglesias Villanueva's match report, some fans in the stadium directed derogatory remarks, including calling 32-year-old Acuna a "monkey."
Acuna, who has been with Sevilla since 2020, notably contributed to Argentina's victory in the 2022 FIFA World Cup held in Qatar. Despite the disruption caused by the racist incident, Sevilla secured the victory with an early goal scored by seasoned Spanish defender Sergio Ramos.
In the aftermath of the away triumph, Sevilla's manager, Quique Sanchez Flores, disclosed to Spanish media that he was subjected to derogatory remarks from some Getafe fans, who referred to him as a "Gypsy." Flores, a respected figure in Spanish football, expressed his pride in his heritage but condemned the use of such language as "abhorrent" when directed at him.
Flores, renowned for his coaching achievements including leading Atletico Madrid to UEFA Europa League and UEFA Super Cup titles, has a history with Getafe, having coached the club on three occasions.
The incident at the match adds to the growing concerns over racism in Spanish football. Earlier in the week, Real Madrid's Brazilian star Vinicius Junior, who is of Black descent, emotionally addressed the racism he has endured in Spain, highlighting the pervasive issue within the sport.
"I have less and less will to play. With each complaint made, I feel worse, but I have to appear here and show my face," he stated as racist incidents continued to occur against him.
"I am sure that Spain is not a racist country, but there are many racists, and many of them are in the stadiums," he earlier mentioned.
MENAFN01042024000045015839ID1108042614
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.