Carlo Ancelotti, the coach of Vincius Junior’s Real Madrid, stated that the hate crimes against the player are a concern for Spanish football and need to be addressed.
Since his arrival in Spain in 2018, Vincius, a black forward from Brazil, has experienced hate crimes.
The most recent occurred on Sunday in Mallorca during a Spanish league game.
His effigy was suspended from a bridge in Madrid last month prior to the derby against Atletico Madrid.
Vincius has been vocal about the taunts and has frequently expressed his displeasure on social media.
Additionally, his dancing after scoring was a target, and recently, his teammates brought up the large amount of fouls he was picking up during games.
A brutal tackle on Vincius by Valencia defender Gabriel Paulista during a league encounter last week resulted in Paulista’s dismissal.
Federico Valverde, a teammate, said: “Vincius is an incredible person with great values.
“I don’t think the rival fans are thinking about the person, they don’t realise that he could be the son of anyone who is in the stands. People need to be responsible for what they do, they shouldn’t take it out on a 22-year-old. You need to have respect.”
Although racism in Spanish football has recently received increasing attention, little has been done to penalise offenders.
After seeing someone calling Vinicus a monkey on television, the Spanish league started looking into the incidents that happened on Sunday in Mallorca.
Vincius was also insulted after stopping to take pictures and sign autographs for fans after the game.
The perpetrators of hanging Vincius’ effigy last month remain at large, and teams have not yet been penalised for the racial taunts heard inside their stadiums.
Following comments made by a Espanyol fan against Athletic Bilbao forward Iaki Williams a few years ago, the first trial against a fan who racially disparaged a player in Spain is anticipated to start this year.