"The championship that belonged to Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Cristiano and Messi today belongs to racists" - Vinicius Jr on racist chanting in La Liga
In a spectacle of football that was marred by ugly racism, Vinicius Jr has spoken against the racism he faced in Real Madrid's recent clash with Valencia.
The game turned into a grim showcase of bigotry as the echoes of racist chants targeted at Vinicius filled the Mestalla.
The encounter took place on Sunday (May 21) and the match was briefly put on pause due to these abhorrent events. The forward found himself at the receiving end of racist abuse, once again, leading La Liga to announce that it will commence a proper investigation into this matter.
The game saw Valencia clinch victory by a narrow 1-0 margin but there was a pause in play of about six minutes in the second half. A stern announcement was made over the loudspeakers at the Mestalla. The message was clear – "racist behavior from certain spectators would not be tolerated."
Não foi a primeira vez, nem a segunda e nem a terceira. O racismo é o normal na La Liga. A competição acha normal, a Federação também e os adversários incentivam. Lamento muito. O campeonato que já foi de Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Cristiano e Messi hoje é dos racistas. Uma nação… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
Vinicius Jr's response was one of raw emotion. Having been shown a red card during injury time following a skirmish with Valencia's Hugo Duro, the forward took to social media to address the malignant chanting (via Twitter):
"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. I'm so sorry. The championship that once belonged to Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Cristiano and Messi today belongs to racists."
Vinicius Junior: "The championship that once belonged to Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Cristiano and Messi, today belongs to the racists." https://t.co/OivqKITOzJ
Vinicius Jr's words are a reflection of a deep-seated issue in La Liga. In the end, he promises a fight, a show of resilience against the insidious nature of racism:
"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.
"And unfortunately, for everything that happens each week, I have no defense. I agree. But I am strong and I will go to the end against racists. Even if far from here."
Real Madrid lose to Valencia as racist chants against Vinicius Jr mar events
Valencia further distanced themselves from the La Liga relegation abyss on Sunday, securing a crucial victory over Real Madrid. The match was overshadowed by the disturbing echo of racist slurs and the dismissal of Vinicius Jr.
Diego Lopez, Valencia's talisman, struck gold in the first half, ensuring a much-needed triumph for his side.
With only three games left to play in the season, Valencia find themselves in a somewhat safer position. Perched at 13th place in La Liga, they have accumulated a total of 40 points, providing a five-point cushion from the dreaded relegation spots.
On the other hand, Real Madrid stand third with 71 points, trailing a massive 14 points behind the crowned champions, Barcelona, who wrapped up the title last week.