Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo has said no-one at the club is “anti-racist or racist”.
Cerezo was speaking to members of the Spanish press ahead of Sunday’s derby against Real Madrid. In recent seasons, the fixture has often been overshadowed by supporters of Atletico racially abusing Vinicius Junior.
When contacted by The Athletic for clarification on Cerezo’s remark, Atletico justified the 76-year-old’s answer as “a slip of the tongue”.Cerezo did also ask fans “to behave as they should” during the game at the Civitas Metropolitano.
Cerezo had been asked by the media about messages on social media that circulated among radical Atletico fans urging fellow supporters to wear masks to the game to avoid detection by cameras when hurling racist insults, specifically calling Vinicius Jr a monkey.
“I think one thing is very clear,” Cerezo said. “At Atletico de Madrid I don’t consider that there is anyone anti-racist or racist of any kind.
“It’s an orderly fan base that, like all fans, has its groups that are the ones that move all kinds of issues. We are always in favour of calm, that matches are played well, people go with their children, with their families, with their friends, to watch a football match, not to a war.
“I ask the fans to behave as they should and as they have always behaved in the Metropolitano stadium.”
Vinicius Jr has been the target of racial abuse multiple times over the last few seasons (Getty Images)
Following the social media posts, La Liga, the RFEF, and Atletico have all been in contact, with increased vigilance promised, along with protection from police. While fans cannot be banned from wearing masks, it has been made clear that any racist chants will lead to the match being stopped, and potentially suspended if they persist. Security measures include cooperation between the club and the police, who are responsible for managing incidents inside the stadium.
Atletico has emphasised its policy of zero tolerance toward racism and violence, stating that their security team will work with law enforcement to monitor and respond to any incidents. Recent social media campaigns and fan cooperation, including reports through social networks and stadium QR codes, have contributed to identifying offenders.
This comes after several high-profile rulings related to racism in Spanish football. A fan was recently sentenced to one year in prison and banned from stadiums for three years for racially abusing Vinicius Jr during a match between Mallorca and Real Madrid, as well as Samuel Chukwueze in a separate incident against Villarreal.
“Vinicius eres un mono”, canta la afición del Atlético antes de entrar al Metropolitano. @TheAthleticFC pic.twitter.com/CA63uAZhpR
— Guillermo Rai (@GuillermoRai_) January 18, 2024
La Liga also revealed that a minor who racially abused Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni and threw water bottles at him during a match at Mallorca reached an out-of-court settlement. The individual agreed to pay a €7,001 (£5,838) fine and complete “socio-educational activities.” Additionally, they were banned from La Liga and RFEF stadiums for one year.
In March, during an emotional press conference with Brazil, Vinicius Jr broke down in tears, expressing that racism was worsening as offenders remained unpunished, leaving him feeling “less and less like playing football.”
Earlier this month, Spain’s Superior Sports Council (CSD) fined a fan €60,001 (£50,686; $66,707) and banned them from sports venues for two years for racially abusing Vinicius Jr online.
In June, three individuals were sentenced to eight months in prison for racially abusing Vinicius Jr during a La Liga match at Valencia in May 2023, marking the first conviction for racist insults in a Spanish football stadium.
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Last December, four members of Frente Atletico — the radical group of Atletico fans — were charged over the hanging of an effigy of Vinicius Junior from a bridge near the Real Madrid training ground in January 2023. The mannequin was hung next to a 16-metre banner which read “Madrid hates Real” and was displayed hours before January’s Madrid derby in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals.
Hundreds of Atletico fans, meanwhile, were filmed singing monkey chants ahead of a meeting between the sides at the Metropoloitano in September 2022. Similar chants were heard ahead of a derby earlier this year.
In addition, Getafe’s president, Angel Torres, recently dismissed the claims of his Nigerian player Christantus Uche, who spoke out about the racism and unfair treatment he’s experienced in La Liga. Torres suggested that Uche should wait until he has been in Spain longer before commenting on such matters.
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(Top photo: Oscar del Pozo/AFP via Getty Images))
