Sevilla condemn racist abuse of Marcos Acuna, Quique Sanchez Flores as Getafe game stopped after ‘monkey’ chant
Sevilla have condemned the “racist and xenophobic abuse” suffered by their player Marcos Acuna and head coach Quique Sanchez Flores during their La Liga clash at Getafe.
The game was stopped in the 68th minute and was delayed for two and a half minutes after ‘monkey’ chants were directed towards Acuna, 32.
It was communicated to referee Iglesias Villanueva, via his assistant, that several racist remarks had been made towards Argentina international Acuna.
That prompted Villanueva to initiate La Liga protocol to pause the match and for an announcement to be made over the public address system for the chants to stop.
El Sevilla FC condena los insultos racistas y xenófobos sufridos este sábado por su jugador Marcos Acuña y su cuerpo técnico durante el #GetafeSevillaFC. #LALIGAVSRacismo
— Sevilla Fútbol Club (@SevillaFC) March 30, 2024
Referee Villanueva’s official match report said of the incident: “In the 68th minute, I had to stop the match because there were racist insults directed to the number 19 (Acuna) of the visiting team (Sevilla).
“The chants included the words ‘Acuna monkey’ and ‘Acuna, you come from monkeys’, and came from fans located in the central area of the pitch, located behind the position of my assistant.”
Meanwhile, Sevilla coach Sanchez Flores — who has managed Getafe three times, most recently between October 2021 and April 2023 — alleged that he was racially abused during the match after he stated he was called a “gypsy” by home fans.
“I don’t want them to use ‘gypsy’ as a racist insult,” Sanchez Flores said after the match.
“A part of the public thinks they can come and say whatever they want. We are workers who come to work in a space where we have to be respected. It seems aberrant to me.”
The referees’ report did not mention Sanchez Flores’ allegations.
“We condemn the racist and xenophobic abuse suffered by Marcos Acuna and our coaching staff during Getafe vs Sevilla,” a Sevilla statement after the match read.
(Fran Santiago/Getty Images)
