Valencia have called on Real Madrid forward Rodrygo to withdraw his claim that the entire crowd at the club’s Mestalla stadium aimed racist chants at Vinicius Junior, or face legal action.
Three fans have been charged over the racist abuse of Vinicius during the LaLiga game on May 21, in an incident which sparked a global outcry and calls for tougher measures to tackle racism in Spanish football.
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Rodrygo made the claim — echoing an earlier statement by coach Carlo Ancelotti after the match, which he subsequently amended — during a press conference with Brazil on Wednesday.
“A lot of people say that Spain is racist. I don’t think Spain is a racist country,” Rodrygo said. “There are racist people, but the country itself isn’t [racist].
“I was at Mestalla, I saw the entire stadium shouting ‘monkey.’ It happens to me, I’m Black too. Sometimes I don’t see it, but on that occasion Vini did … When I saw what had really happened, it made me very sad. It was a difficult day.”
