Real Madrid complaint says ref 'negligent' on Vinicius abuse
Real Madrid on Tuesday filed a complaint against referee Juan Martinez Munuera alleging he "deliberately" omitted alleged racist abuse aimed at Real Madrid winger Vinicius Jr during a 4-2 win away to Osasuna on Saturday from his end of game report.
Vinicius Jr. of Real Madrid reacts during a La Liga football match between Real Madrid and Sevilla FC in Madrid, Spain, Oct. 22, 2022. (Photo by Gustavo Valiente/Xinhua)
The club issued a statement alleging that Munuera "voluntarily and deliberately omitted the insults and vexatious shouts directed repeatedly towards our player Vinicius Jr, despite these being insistently pointed out by our players at the very moment when they were taking place."
"Real Madrid once again condemns these violent attacks of racism, discrimination and hatred, and demands that the necessary measures be taken, once and for all, to eradicate the violence that our player Vinicius Jr has been suffering," reads the communique.
Vinicius has suffered racist abuse from small groups of supporters on several occasions in Spain in recent years, with the worst incidents taking place in Valencia last season and in games away to Atletico Madrid.
A number of Atletico's 'Frente Atletico' ultra group were also videoed singing a racist song about the Brazilian forward ahead of their Champions League game against Inter Milan last week.
Martinez Munuera showed Vinicius a yellow card during Saturday's game after the player disputed a decision with obvious gestures of disagreement and laughing directly at the official.
Osasuna issued a statement of its own on Tuesday, expressing its rejection of all racist behavior, but insisting that "no racist songs were sung," in Saturday's game and demanding an immediate apology for the accusations.