Walter Finch
Real Mallorca fans shamefully subjected Real Madrid football player Vinicius Jr to racist abuse for the second time in a year during their 1-0 victory on Sunday.
TV cameras captured a fan making monkey noises and racially abusing the Brazilian, prompting La Liga officials to file a formal complaint with a court in Mallorca.
Footage from the stands has been handed to the court and Real Mallorca, and the league is pressing the court to investigate and hand out the harshest sentences for those convicted.
The Mallorcan club has condemned what it called ‘an isolated case’ – although the young attacker received the exact same abuse in the corresponding fixture in February last season.
On top of the regular racist abuse from the stands, Vinicius Jr was fouled 10 times during the match – no other player in Europe’s top five leagues has suffered as many fouls in a single game this season.
The season has been marked by multiple instances of racist abuse aimed at Vinicius Jnr, with La Liga taking legal actions six times already.
In September, Atletico Madrid fans sang racist songs and made monkey noises towards him during the Madrid derby.
After a three-month investigation, Spanish prosecutors dropped the case, stating that it was impossible to properly identify the guilty parties.
In December, Vinicius urged the league to do more to stop racist supporters, and in January, an effigy of him was hung from a bridge close to Real Madrid’s training ground.
Real Madrid’s manager, Carlo Ancelotti, spoke out against the abuse, stating, “It seems that the problem is Vinicius, and it is not like that. It must be solved.”
Atletico Madrid also released a statement, condemning the act and calling it “absolutely disgusting and inadmissible.”
Vinicius Jnr has had a successful season, making 31 appearances for Real Madrid and scoring 13 goals with six assists.
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