Real Madrid player had banana thrown at him and there were racist chants outside the stadium
Spanish second division club Albacete are “pained and ashamed” after Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior had a banana thrown at him in the stadium and was targeted by racist chants outside it.
Madrid travelled to Albacete for the Copa del Rey round-of-16 tie and lost 3-2. Vinicius was one of the few big stars from the La Liga club to play the game. Albacete insist they are investigating the events and will do everything in their power to find and punish the perpetrators.
“It is both painful and shameful that terrible, disgraceful and reprehensible racist images tarnished a magical night,” the club said in a statement.
“We are working to identify the person who threw a banana onto the pitch. We are requesting the assistance of the relevant authorities and our fans, whose cooperation we ask for during this process.
“We wish to state that the club will take all disciplinary measures within its power to ensure that, if possible, they never set foot in the Carlos Belmonte stadium again.
“Furthermore, the club expresses its complete condemnation of the disgusting xenophobic chants that a small group of fans uttered in the vicinity of the Carlos Belmonte stadium hours before the match.
“Finally, Albacete on behalf of all its exemplary fans, wishes to show its support for Vinicius Jr, Real Madrid and all Madridistas in the face of such despicable behaviour, reiterating our total commitment to the arduous task of eradicating from football – and from society in general – any racist, xenophobic or discriminatory behaviour.”
Vinicius has repeatedly been the target of racist chants in Spain. The player cried in a press conference in 2024 due to serious racist abuse he kept suffering while playing football.
Over the past two years, there have been serious moves made by La Liga and the Spanish government to punish perpetrators of racist acts and chants. In May 2025, four Real Valladolid fans were handed suspended prison sentences and large fines for racist chants directed at Vinicius.
A man was also handed a one-year suspended prison sentence, a three-year ban from entering football grounds, and a five-year disqualification from working in education or sports-related professions, after admitting to making monkey noises and gestures at Athletic Club’s Inaki Williams.
