Barcelona defender Alejandro Balde reported being subjected to racist abuse during Saturday's LaLiga match against Getafe, which ended in a 1-1 draw at the Coliseum.
The Black left-back revealed that he faced multiple racist insults from Getafe supporters during the first half of the fixture. Balde promptly informed referee Pablo González Fuertes about the incidents. "I received several racist insults from the fans here," Balde stated in his postmatch interview with Movistar. "It's lamentable and something that should not keep happening."
According to LaLiga's anti-racism protocol, referees are empowered to halt matches upon observing or being alerted to racist behavior. The protocol includes making a stadium-wide announcement explaining the stoppage and warning that continued incidents will result in players leaving the field. If the behavior persists after play resumes, the match can be abandoned entirely.
The referee's official report confirmed that Balde reported the racist messages at halftime while still on the pitch. The matter was then communicated to both teams' delegates and stadium security forces, leading to the implementation of the anti-racism protocol before the second half began.
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick strongly condemned the incident, stating, "There is no space for this in football or in life. This is unbelievable. It's totally wrong. They have to stay at home, not go to matches. We have to fight against them."
The Balde incident wasn't isolated, as another case of racism was reported the same day in Spanish football. Second-division club Elche reported that their defender Bambo Diaby experienced racist abuse during a 1-1 draw at Sporting Gijón. Local police have already identified one alleged perpetrator, and LaLiga has announced plans to file a case with the public prosecutor for hate crimes.
These incidents add to a growing list of racist episodes in Spanish football, with Real Madrid's Vinícius Júnior being a frequent target. Spanish authorities have recently taken stronger action against such behavior. Last June, three Valencia fans received eight-month jail sentences for racially abusing Vinícius - marking Spain's first such verdict. In September, a Mallorca supporter received a 12-month suspended sentence for racist insults against Vinícius and Villarreal's Samuel Chukwueze. The following month, Spanish national police arrested four individuals connected to a hate campaign targeting Vinícius.
Both LaLiga and the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) continue their efforts to combat racism in the sport, though these recent incidents highlight the ongoing challenges in eliminating discriminatory behavior from Spanish football.
