Real Madrid filed a criminal complaint Monday, May 22, with Spanish prosecutors over the racist abuse its Brazilian forward Vinicius Junior received during a weekend La Liga match, calling it a "hate crime." "Real Madrid strongly condemns the events that took place yesterday against our player Vinícius Junior," the Spanish giants said in a statement.
The 22-year-old Brazil international called La Liga and Spain racist after he received racial slurs from the stands in Sunday’s defeat at Valencia’s Mestalla stadium.
"The championship that once belonged to Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Cristiano and Messi today belongs to racists," Vinicius wrote on Instagram on Sunday night. "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. 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. But I am strong and I will go to the end against racists. Even if far from here."
Real Madrid's manager, Carlo Ancelotti, also spoke out against what happened on Twitter, saying: "Today has been a sad day at Mestalla, where a group of fans have shown their worst version. It is time to stop talking and act forcefully. Racism has no place in football or in society. NO TO RACISM ANYWHERE."
