A Real Mallorca fan has received a 12-month suspended prison sentence from a Spanish court for racially abusing Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr and former Villarreal winger Samuel Chukwueze. The fan, who has also been banned from stadiums for three years, had his sentence suspended after he sent an apology letter to Vinicius Jr and completed anti-discrimination training.
“Real Madrid will keep working to protect the club’s values and eradicate any racist behaviour in the world of football and sport,” stated the club.
Additionally, a minor supporter of Mallorca, who directed racial slurs at midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni, has been banned from stadiums for a year. The abuse towards Vinicius Jr occurred during Real Madrid’s 1-0 La Liga defeat to Mallorca at the Son Moix stadium in February 2023. Two weeks later, the same fan targeted Chukwueze, now at AC Milan, with racial insults.
This case marks the third criminal conviction in recent months for racist insults directed at Real Madrid players, particularly Vinicius, who has faced abuse in various stadiums across Spain since joining the club in 2018. In June, three Valencia fans received eight-month prison sentences for racist abuse aimed at Vinicius during a match at Mestalla Stadium in May 2023.
Earlier in September, Vinicius urged for Spain to be stripped of its 2030 World Cup hosting rights unless there are improvements in addressing racism in stadiums. This Sunday, Real Madrid will face city rivals Atletico at the Metropolitano Stadium, where Vinicius has also previously encountered racist abuse.
