Valencia have said they will appeal against their five-game partial stadium closure and fine following the racist abuse aimed at Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr in Sunday’s La Liga match.
The Spanish football club claimed the sanction was “unfair and disproportionate” after some fans in the home crowd targeted Vinicius at the Mestalla stadium.
A red card handed to Real’s Brazilian winger by the referee in stoppage time following scuffles with Valencia players has also been rescinded by the Spanish football federation (RFEF).
“The RFEF competition committee considers that the referee’s assessment was determined by the omission of the entirety of the play that took place, which affected the refereeing decision,” the federation said.
“The fact that he (the referee) was deprived of a decisive part of the facts led him to adopt an arbitrary decision.
“And this is because it was impossible for him to properly assess what happened.”
Vinicius had threatened to leave the pitch in the second half at the Mestalla after being subjected to alleged monkey chants.
Real Madrid said the incident constituted a “hate crime” and later filed a complaint with the Spanish State Attorney General’s Office.
Valencia have been ordered to shut the Mario Kempes south stand, where the alleged abuse happened, for five matches and have also been fined €45,000 (£39,000) by the RFEF.
The club said it condemned any “racism or violence” but would appeal the “unprecedented measure” imposed by the football authorities.
In a statement, Valencia said: “Valencia CF has condemned, condemns and will condemn in the most energetic way any act of racism or violence.
Read more on Sky News:
Why players in Spain fear being abused and doubted
‘No one deserves this’: Footballers’ fury at abuse
“These behaviours have no place in football or in society and we will continue to act in the most forceful way to eradicate this scourge.”
It added: “Valencia CF will appeal to the last instance the closure of the stand, a sanction that it considers totally unfair and one more offence in the latest disciplinary decisions that have been taken against the club.”
After the game, Vinicius tweeted: “It wasn’t the first time, nor the second, nor the third. Racism is normal in La Liga. In football they think it’s normal, the federation does too – and the opponent encourages it.
“I’m so sad. The championship that once belonged to Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Cristiano [Ronaldo] and [Lionel] Messi today belongs to racism.”
On Tuesday, Spanish police said arrests had been made in connection with racism aimed at Vinicius.
This story originally appeared on Skynews
