Sunday’s Spanish league clash between Espanyol and Athletic Bilbao was abruptly paused in the first half after racist chants erupted from the stands. Officials activated La Liga’s anti-racism protocol, halting play for three minutes as stadium warnings reminded fans of legal consequences for discriminatory behavior.
Athletic forward Iñaki Williams – a previous target of racial abuse at Espanyol’s stadium – condemned the incident, stating the slurs were directed at teammate Maroan Sannadi.
“People should come to enjoy soccer, not spread hate,”Williams declared post-match. Marca reports this marks the third racial abuse case involving Espanyol since 2020.
La Liga confirmed an investigation into Sunday’s events, with Espanyol facing potential fines or partial stadium closures. The match concluded 1-1, keeping Athletic Bilbao in fourth place – the final Champions League qualification spot.
This incident highlights Spain’s ongoing struggle with stadium racism. Last season, Vinícius Júnior’s racial abuse case led to four arrests at Valencia’s Mestalla Stadium. La Liga president Javier Tebas recently vowed to “eradicate this poison” through education campaigns and AI-enhanced crowd monitoring.
- Real Betis’ 3-0 victory over 10-man Real Sociedad propelled them to eighth place
- Sevilla crushed bottom-ranked Valladolid 4-0 amid fan protests against owner Ronaldo
- Mallorca ended a six-match winless streak with a 3-1 triumph against Las Palmas
With Athletic Bilbao maintaining their European qualification position and Espanyol hovering near relegation zones, Sunday’s events underscore how racist chants continue overshadowing Spanish football’s sporting narratives. As Williams emphasized: “These backward attitudes have no place in modern society.”