Match between Real Madrid, Real Sociedad marred by racism chants
Real Madrid clinched a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Real Sociedad in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinal, a match overshadowed by incidents of racist abuse targeting Brazilian forward Vinicius Junior.
The only goal of the match came from fellow Brazilian Endrick who netted in the first half at Reale Arena in San Sebastian. However, the match was marred by controversy just before halftime when the game was briefly halted due to offensive chants aimed at Real Madrid defender Raul Asencio.
Video footage emerged on social media showing a Real Sociedad fan making monkey gestures directed at Vinicius Junior while the match was paused. This follows recent reports of similar chants aimed at Asencio who is currently under investigation by a Spanish court for allegedly sharing a sexually explicit video involving a minor.
Referee intervention was prompted after Vinicius reported the abusive chants leading to a temporary stoppage. Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti stated, “Vinicius spoke to the referee, the referee stopped the game, he applied the protocol that was what had to happen.” Ancelotti substituted Asencio at halftime opting for Lucas Vazquez and explained the decision: “I took him [Vinicius Jr] off because he was affected, and he had a yellow card. I preferred to take him off in case his feelings could affect the game.”
Real Sociedad forward Mikel Oyarzabal condemned the insults, stating, “The insults should be condemned. We don’t think this is the right way to express disagreement.” In response to the racism, the club displayed a message on the stadium’s big screen urging fans to reject racist chants and support their team with respect towards opponents.
Vinicius has been a frequent target of racial abuse in Spanish football with notable incidents recorded in the past year. In June, three fans were sentenced to prison for hate crimes against him marking a significant legal precedent in the fight against racism in football.
Despite the challenges, both teams had their chances, with Vinicius coming close to scoring and Real Madrid’s goalkeeper Andriy Lunin making critical saves to protect the lead. A dramatic end to the match saw Endrick strike the crossbar while Sociedad’s goalkeeper Alex Remiro made impressive saves to keep the scoreline intact.
In the other semifinal first leg, Atletico Madrid managed to draw 4-4 with Barcelona setting up a thrilling contest in the second leg of the competition.
