Sevilla condemn racist abuse of their player, head coach during win at Getafe

By Can Erozden

Sevilla condemned the racist abuse of their Argentine left-back Marcos Acuna and Spanish head coach Quique Sanchez Flores during their 1-0 win in a Spanish LaLiga match Saturday at Getafe.

"We condemn the racist and xenophobic abuse suffered by Marcos Acuna and our coaching staff during #GetafeSevillaFC," Sevilla wrote on X.

The referee paused the match in the 68th minute for racist chants allegedly voiced by Getafe fans.

Some fans in the stadium reportedly called 32-year-old Acuna "monkey," referee Javier Iglesias Villanueva said in his match report.

A Sevilla player since 2020, Acuna helped Argentina win the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Sevilla won the match with an early goal scored by experienced Spanish defender Sergio Ramos.

Following the away win, Sevilla boss, Flores, told Spanish media that some Getafe fans called him a "Gypsy."

The 59-year-old said he is "proud to be a gypsy" but found it "abhorrent" when it was used to abuse him.

Flores, who led Atletico Madrid to the 2010 UEFA Europa League, and UEFA Super Cup titles, previously coached Getafe three times.

Earlier this week, Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior, who is a Black Brazilian player, broke down in tears at a news conference as he spoke about the racism he suffered in Spain.

"I have less and less will to play. With each complaint made, I feel worse, but I have to appear here and show my face," he said as racist incidents were repeated against him.

"I am sure that Spain is not a racist country, but there are many racists, and many of them are in the stadiums," he previously added.