Sunday’s La Liga match between Espanyol and Athletic Bilbao was temporarily halted after Bilbao forward Iñaki Williams informed the referee that teammate Maroan Sannadi was subjected to racial abuse from the stands.
The referee activated La Liga’s anti-racism protocol, leading to a brief suspension of play.
A stadium announcement warned fans that the match would be abandoned if the abuse continued, while a message condemning racism was displayed on the big screen at Espanyol’s Cornella-El Prat stadium.
Despite the disruption, the match resumed, ending in a 1-1 draw after both teams scored in the second half.
Williams addressed the incident post-match, urging fans to support their teams rather than engage in discriminatory behaviour.
“People should come to football to support [their team],” he said. “Espanyol and their players need their fans and should not let a few people tarnish what is true football.”
Both clubs condemned the abuse, with Bilbao posting on social media: “United against racism, zero tolerance for any discriminatory attitude.”
Bilbao manager Ernesto Valverde also expressed disappointment over the situation. “It’s something that unfortunately happens in more places. We don’t want it to happen in any stadium. It’s a question of general manners, and it’s something we have to work on,” he said.
The incident adds to a growing concern over racism in Spanish football. La Liga and the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) have introduced measures such as partial stadium closures in an effort to curb abuse.
In June 2024, 3 Valencia fans were sentenced to eight months in prison for racially abusing Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior during a match in May 2023. 4 others were arrested in October for an online hate campaign against the Brazilian forward.
Other players have also been targeted. Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal suffered racist abuse at the Bernabéu during El Clásico in October, while a minor who abused Vinícius in November was fined and handed a one-year stadium ban.
Spanish authorities continue to face pressure to take stricter action as racism remains an ongoing issue in the country’s football culture.
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