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Spanish football has witnessed another disgraceful instance of racism ahead of Barcelona’s Champions League clash with Atletico Madrid. Sickening scenes during Spain’s friendly clash with Egypt last week seem to have spread to the Spanish capital.
Even within the context of high-profile instances of racism towards football stars over recent years, Spain was shaken by the bare-faced nature and number of fans that joined in chants of ‘Whoever doesn’t jump is a Muslim’ during the clash against Egypt. The incidents were repeated outside the Santiago Bernabeu ahead of Real Madrid’s Champions League clash with Bayern Munich on Tuesday night. This just a day after Vinicius Junior had praised Lamine Yamal for speaking out about the racist chants.
Traveling Atletico Madrid support follow grim trend
Ahead of Atletico’s own Champions League tie, thousands of Colchoneros have traveled to Barcelona to follow their side at Camp Nou. Sport report that a ‘small group’ of Atletico fans were seen mimicking the same chant heard at the RCDE Stadium and outside the Bernabeu, with video evidence to back it up.
Lamine Yamal suffered racist abuse at Metropolitano
At a time when Spanish football’s biggest stars are speaking out against racism, the scourge continues to follow them. Vinicius Junior praised Lamine Yamal for speaking out against the Islamophobic chants last week. The 18-year-old suffered racist abuse on Saturday night at the Metropolitano too, with use of slurs and shouts of ‘go play with Morocco’ heard as he went to take a corner.
FIFA have opened investigation into Spain-Egypt
This week FIFA also opened an investigation into the incidents that occurred at the RCDE Stadium during Spain’s friendly with Egypt. That appears to be the genesis of the disgusting trend that has infected Spanish football over the past eight days. The RFEF activated the anti-racism protocol at half-time, and say they followed the steps to the letter, while Catalan police are also conducting an investigation into the incidents in Cornella.
