Warning: This article contains racist language inserted by The Athletic to ensure gravity is not lost.
On Tuesday afternoon, the Spanish Football Federation’s Competitions Committee (CC) met to discuss Sunday’s match between Valencia and Real Madrid, which saw Vinicius Junior suffer shocking racial slurs.
The CC is a technically independent body that decides penalties and disciplinary measures at different levels of Spanish football. It consists of three members; one is appointed by the Spanish Football Federation, one by La Liga and one by the Consejo Superior de Deportes, a government agency.
Its president and “sole competition judge” is Spanish lawyer Carmen Perez, appointed by the Spanish Football Federation.
Their meeting lasted several hours longer than usual. By late evening the report was ready for publication. Valencia were handed a five-game partial stadium ban and a €45,000 (£39,100; $48,500) fine. The red card shown to Vinicius Jr. at the end of Sunday’s game was also overturned.
Those were the top lines – but within the pages of the report there were other important details about exactly what happened. Here’s what it said.
The decision to partially close the Valencia site
The CC report detailed how, before kick-off, as the Real Madrid players disembarked from their team bus outside the gates of the Mestalla Stadium in Valencia, “hundreds of fans stationed in the area” chanted: “You you’re a monkey… Vinicius, you’re a.” monkey.”
It then went into detail about the severity and regularity of further racist shouting at Vinicius Jr. throughout the game.
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Sunday’s referee’s report mentioned only one example of this incident. This happened in the 73rd minute when referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea stopped play and an announcement was made over the public address system – part of an anti-racism protocol.
Vinicius Jr. in the 73rd minute (Photo: Mateo Villalba/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
As caught by television cameras, Vinicius Jr. confronted fans standing behind one of the goals, pointing at them and accusing them of racially insulting him.
“You, you, you’re the one who called me a monkey,” he seemed to say as players from both sides gathered at the scene. He made a gesture as if to say they were calling him a monkey or making monkey noises.
The CC report reflects De Burgos Bengoetxea’s version of events, but also describes other insults directed at Vinicius Jr. between that point and the end of the game. Without quantifying how many people were involved or what part of the stadium the action came from, they state that fans shouted or chanted:
- “Damn black man, you’re an idiot”
- “I give a shit about your dead (family) son of shit”
- “Vinicius Idiot”
- “Damn black bugger”
- “Vinicius Dog… Son of Shit”
- “monkey you’re a fucking monkey”
“The Competition Committee has sanctioned Valencia CF with the partial closure of the Mestalla Stadium for five games,” the report said.
The stand that will be closed is the South Stand, named after former Argentina international Mario Kempes.
Valencia were also fined €45,000. This is the highest fine imposed on a Spanish football club for racist abuse on a pitch.
Valencia almost immediately announced that they would appeal the closure of the stadium, adding in a statement: “Valencia CF would like to express its total disapproval and outrage at the unfair and disproportionate penalty imposed on the club by the competition committee.”
The decision to overturn Vinicius Jr.’s red card
The CC report also describes how monkey chants were heard throughout the game and that after Vinicius Jr. was sent off in the 90th minute, a “general ‘monkey, monkey’ chant could be heard throughout the stands.”
Vinicius Jr. was shown the red card after several players on both sides shoved and shoved in injury time. De Burgos Bengoetxea initially showed Vinicius Jr. the yellow card.
After being instructed to review the footage, the VAR provided images of Vinicius Jr. raising his hand towards Hugo Duro’s face. There was no way the Valencia striker had just put his arm around the Brazilian’s neck.
According to the CC, as part of a series of evidence they presented for this report, Real Madrid characterized Vinicius Jr.’s actions as follows: “In a desperate attempt to dislodge the opposing player’s arm from his neck in the face of the threat of suffocation. “, (he) instinctively pulls the opposing player away.”
Vinicius Jr. demonstrates the abuse he has endured (Picture: Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images)
The CC report states that the referee has since asked for Vinicius Jr.’s dismissal to be overturned because VAR footage did not show that physical confrontation in its entirety.
Since the referee was “withheld from a crucial part of the facts”, it was “impossible for him to assess the incident correctly”, according to the CC report.
It was revealed on Monday night that Iglesias Villanueva, the match official who managed the VAR team for Sunday’s game, would be barred from taking on the role again following a decision by the Spanish Football Federation and its technical refereeing board.
Vinicius Jr. is now allowed to play in Real Madrid’s final games of the season. The red card would have resulted in him being suspended for two of the three remaining games.
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However, the Brazilian is not expected to feature in Wednesday’s home game against Rayo Vallecano as he has knee problems that also make him doubtful for Saturday’s trip to Sevilla.
Former player Alberto Edjogo-Owono spoke on the Athletic Football Podcast about his experience of racism in Spanish football, how he felt about it and what should be done to eradicate it. Here is a segment of his discussion with Mark Chapman and Dermot Corrigan…
“If you want to play football in Spain, you have to assume that something like this could happen. So you are prepared. You are ready and you are educated and focused. That could happen.
“My dad used to say, ‘Okay, guys, if you’re going to play football, you have to assume that it can happen. So you have to be 120 percent stronger. “You have to be 100 percent more consistent.”
“But what Vinicius achieved is a groundbreaking event for me.”
(Top Photo: Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images)