Real Madrid have initiated an inquiry into racist insults reportedly aimed at players during Saturday's 4-0 home defeat to Barcelona in La Liga, as announced on Sunday.
Spanish media outlets reported that 17-year-old Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal, who has Equatorial Guinean and Moroccan roots, was subjected to xenophobic and racist taunts at the Bernabéu. Barcelona has not yet responded to a request for comment from Reuters.
"Real Madrid vehemently opposes any form of racism, xenophobia, or violence in football and sports, and profoundly regrets the insults hurled by a few spectators in one of the stadium's sections last night," the club stated in an official release.
The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and La Liga have implemented measures to address the rise in racist abuse, including partial stadium closures. Earlier this week, four individuals were detained and questioned in Spain on suspicion of orchestrating an online hate campaign that encouraged fans to racially harass Real Madrid's Brazilian forward Vinícius Júnior ahead of their match against Atlético Madrid.
In June, the magistrate's court in Valencia handed down the first conviction for racist insults in a Spanish football stadium.
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