Spanish international left-back Alejandro Baldé said he was the victim of “several racist insults” from Getafe fans during FC Barcelona’s visit to the club on La Liga matchday 20 on Saturday.
Reacting shortly after the 1-1 draw, Baldé said: “I want to say that today, from the stands, I received various racist insults, and I believe that this should not continue to happen. ” He confirmed that these insults were made in the first half, prompting him to alert the referee to “activate La Liga’s anti-racism protocol”, which was then triggered.
“Then in the second half… I don’t know how it works,” he added, questioning the effectiveness of the measures taken.
FC Barcelona coach Hansi Flick expressed his dismay over the incident, saying racism “should have no place, neither in football nor in life,” emphasizing that it is a moment for reflection.
Read more:
Why Carlo Ancelotti faces dismissal from Real Madrid
Real Madrid striker Vinicius Jr., awarded the FIFA Best Player in the World award, has been advocating concrete changes to combat racist incidents in Spanish football since May 2023. The situation is reminiscent of 2021, when Diakhaby of Valencia had been subjected to racial abuse from Cádiz defender Juan Cala, highlighting the continued call for reflection and punitive action.
Getafe coach Pep Bordalás reiterated Flick’s comments, affirming his opposition to “any racist comments or chants” that occurred during the match. He insisted: “That they be identified and excluded from football stadiums, which I have already stressed several times.”
