Valencia Fined £40,000 Over Racism From Fans

Valencia, a La Liga team, has been fined €45,000 and ordered to close the stand where Vinicius Jr was racially abused for five games following a judgement by the Spanish FA.

The Mario Kempes stand, where the shouts aimed at Vinicius began during Valencia’s 1-0 win over Real Madrid on Sunday, will be closed for the rest of the season and the first four games of next season.

The Spanish FA (RFEF) has also overturned Vinicius’ red card, which was awarded in response to the abuse he received during Valencia’s victory over Real Madrid on Sunday night.

In a statement, the RFEF said: “The Competition Committee has sanctioned Valencia CF with the partial closure of the Mestalla stadium for five matches, specifically the Mario Kempes South Stand, following the events that occurred during the match between the team and Real Madrid.

“It is considered proven that, as reflected by the referee in his report, there were racist shouts at Vinicius, altering the normal course of the match and the infractions are considered very serious.

“In addition, an economic sanction of €45,000 is imposed on Valencia.”

The RFEF obtained evidence that Vinicius was subjected to racist abuse when the Real Madrid bus arrived at the Mestalla.

During the game, he had objects thrown at him from the Kempes Stand in the 71st minute, followed by racial chanting in the 73rd minute – when the referee initially informed the match delegate to make an announcement over the PA system.

Seven men have been arrested in Spain in connection with different racist acts directed towards Vinicius Junior.

Three of the men were arrested on suspicion of hanging an effigy of Vinicius from a bridge in Madrid in January, according to police, who described them as a “radical group of fans of a Madrid group.”

The effigy was hanged on the morning of a Copa del Rey match between Real Madrid and city rivals Atletico Madrid, beside the slogan “Madrid hates Real.”

On Tuesday, three more men were arrested in Valencia in connection with the racial comments directed at Vinicius during Real Madrid’s 1-0 loss at the Mestalla on Sunday.

Real Madrid has filed the abuse as a hate crime, and the winger has responded by declaring LaLiga “belongs to racists.”

Vinicius was targeted by shouts from sections of the crowd, and the game was stopped for 10 minutes in the second half as the obviously enraged 22-year-old grabbed the referee and pointed at fans who he believed had mistreated him.

He was later sent off during extra time for aggressive conduct, following a confrontation with striker Hugo Duro.

The Brazilian international has been subjected to racial abuse on numerous occasions, with LaLiga registering nine criminal complaints against him in the last two seasons.

On Tuesday, May 23, he turned to Twitter to share a video from 1997 depicting racist attacks by football supporters in Spain, with the caption: “Racism in Spanish stadiums existed even before I was born.

“What has changed until today?”

LaLiga has requested for a change in Spanish law to grant it sanctioning powers in order to fight racism more effectively.

Currently, LaLiga can only identify and report cases, but it will now seek a change in the law that will allow it to also bring disciplinary action.