Sevilla condemn racist abuse towards player, coach in Getafe game

Sevilla have condemned “racist and xenophobic abuse” aimed at defender Marcos Acuña and coach Quique Sanchez Flores during their 1-0 La Liga win at Getafe on Saturday.

The match was stopped in the 68th minute, with a warning at stadium level – in line with La Liga's anti-racism protocol – after cries of “Acuña, monkey” were heard from the crowd, referee Javier Iglesias said Villanueva in his match report. .

Sevilla manager Sanchez Flores later said in his post-match press conference that he had been called a “gypsy” by a group of supporters.

Sanchez Flores has coached Getafe three times, most recently from October 2021 to April 2023, saving them from relegation in the 2021-22 season.

“I am proud, with every inch of my body, to be a gypsy,” said Sánchez Flores. “But it's one thing to be gypsy, or to have gypsy heritage, and it's another thing to be used as a racist slur. It seems abnormal to me.

“Some fans think they can say whatever they want here. That's what happens in every stadium in the world. People think they can say whatever they want. But we are workers, we are here to work, in peace, in a space where we must be respected.

“In this day and age, when so much progress is being made, it seems abnormal to me. And I also have to say that there were some Getafe fans who were against what others were saying.”

“We have been asking for respect in football for some time,” said Sevilla striker Sergio Ramos. “People should not come to a stadium to let off steam, to say stupid things, to insult the players. The assistant referee heard an insult aimed at Acuña and he informed him.

“I think we need to deal with these people, report them so that others can see them and ban them from the stadiums, to improve the image of football. Football is a wonderful sport, and it must unite and not divide.”

“If the referee and Acuña heard it, it must have happened,” Getafe coach José Bordalás said. “It is normal that the protocol has been activated. We are against any insult, any racist chant, wherever it is, in any place.”

Racism in Spanish football has been the subject of much discussion in recent months, particularly regarding the treatment of Real Madrid's Vinícius Júnior, who broke down in tears before the international friendly between Brazil and Spain when asked about the subject.