Vinicius Junior celebrates their side's first goal during the match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid CF at Spotify Camp Nou on March 19, 2023 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
Vinicius Jr was targeted with racial slurs during El Clásico
Vinicius Junior celebrates Real Madrid’s first goal during the match against Barcelona at Spotify Camp Nou stadium on Sunday in Barcelona. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
During the recent El Clásico match between Real Madrid and Barcelona at the Camp Nou, Real Madrid’s Brazilian forward Vinicius Jr. was subjected to racist insults from some of the Culé fans.
According to a report by ESPN Deportes, the incident occurred during the second half of the game, when Vinicius was near the stands where the Barcelona supporters were seated. The fans were heard making monkey noises and racially-charged insults towards the 22-year-old footballer.
The incident was quickly reported by La Liga, who issued a statement denouncing the racist behavior of the fans. The statement read, “La Liga strongly condemns any expression of racism, intolerance, or violence in football. We will continue working to eradicate this type of behavior and to promote respect and diversity in the sport.”
This is not the first time that Vinicius has been subjected to racist insults during a football match. In 2020, he was targeted by Cadiz fans during a La Liga game, and in 2019, he was subjected to racial abuse during a Copa del Rey match against Barcelona.
In fact, this is the eighth time the Spanish league has registered complaints with the authorities for such behavior just this season.
The fact that these incidents have continued has sparked outrage among football fans and players alike, with many taking to social media to express their support for Vinicius and to condemn the racist behavior of the fans. The Brazilian star himself has not made a public statement about the incident, but his teammates and coaches have voiced support for him.
The incident at the Camp Nou highlights the ongoing issue of racism in football and the need for continued efforts to eradicate it from the sport. Both sides meet again in less than two weeks at the same stadium for the second leg of the Copa del Rey competition, where Barcelona have a 1-0 lead over Real Madrid. It could be another chance for this kind of behavior to happen again.
