After receiving yet another racial slur after his team’s 1-0 loss to Valencia on Sunday, Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior dubbed the Spanish La Liga as a championship of racists.
After Vinicius tangled with the Valencia supporters and was later dismissed for striking Hugo Duro during a scuffle, the second half of the game descended into chaos.
Following what seemed to be racial insults directed at Vinicius by a Valencia fan, there was a delay of several minutes.
The Brazilian responded to the event by writing on Twitter that racism is now accepted in La Liga because it is not the first, second, or third time he has experienced racial abuse.
He said that Spain is now known in his home country Brazil as a country of racists.
“It wasn’t the first time, nor the second, nor the third. Racism is normal in La Liga. The competition thinks it’s normal, the Federation does too and the opponents encourage it. I’m so sorry. The championship that once belonged to Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Cristiano, and Messi today belongs to racists.
“A beautiful nation, which welcomed me and which I love, but which agreed to export the image of a racist country to the world. I’m sorry for the Spaniards who don’t agree, but today, in Brazil, Spain is known as a country of racists.
“And unfortunately, for everything that happens each week, I have no defense. I agree. But I am strong and I will go to the end against racists. Even if far from here,” Vinicius wrote.
Não foi a primeira vez, nem a segunda e nem a terceira. O racismo é o normal na La Liga. A competição acha normal, a Federação também e os adversários incentivam. Lamento muito. O campeonato que já foi de Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Cristiano e Messi hoje é dos racistas. Uma nação…
— Vini Jr. (@vinijr) May 21, 2023
Real Madrid had on no fewer than three occasions issued statements to condemn racist abuse suffered by Vinicius Junior.