Atletico Madrid striker Alvaro Morata has called for fans that make racist chants in stadiums to be banned for life.
Speaking ahead of Saturday’s derby against Real Madrid, which will see Morata’s Atletico face Madrid’s Vinicius Junior, who has been subjected to racial abuse on numerous occasions this season by opposing fans, Morata told ESPN: “It’s unacceptable and inexplicable.
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“It should never have a place in football. The first time a person does that in a stadium he should be banned for life because many times people go to watch a sporting event often with children. I think it should be a reason to expel them because it’s a sport, there can be a lot of rivalry but it’s football.”
LaLiga announced on Wednesday it had filed three complaints to the courts regarding the latest incidents of racism in Spanish football.
Brazilian Vinicius and Villarreal‘s Nigerian winger Samu Chukwueze were victims of racist abuse at the weekend during their teams’ respective games at Osasuna and Mallorca.
Vinicius, 22, was also the target of racial slurs in the team’s 1-0 loss at Mallorca on Feb 5.
In total, LaLiga has filed eight complaints regarding insults or racist chants directed at Vinicius. Three have been dismissed and three are still being processed, including one last month when a Vinicius shirt was draped over a mannequin that was hung from a bridge outside Real Madrid’s training ground.
“These [episodes of racist chants and insults] are not just happening to Vinicius,” Morata said. “Perhaps it always feels as though it happens to him because he is in the media limelight but no….These [insults] happen every Sunday in each stadium.
“I can assure you that it happens to many people that are spectacular people. In the end, it always happens in football.
“We also get insulted when we play away from home and that is part of football, but it should only be football, not just for Vinicius but for me, for (Barcelona‘s) Jordi Alba, for everyone.”
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said this week that the insults do not affect how Vinicius performs.
“Vinicius is managing very well this moment,” he said. “He loves to play the game and it doesn’t affect him on the pitch.”
However, Morata said it is inevitable that such abuse will impact players..
“No matter how prepared you are, mentally and physically for these situations, and they [fans] shout something atrocious about your wife or children, it’s complicated,” he said.
Morata believes LaLiga should learn from the Premier League when it comes to eradicating racism.
“I think we need to take the Premier League as an example,” the former Chelsea star said. “If a person does such a thing at a football field or outside, which is related to football, he will not be allowed again in a sporting event.
“And that’s how it should be here in Spain, too.”