La Liga is currently conducting an investigation following the emergence of a video on social media depicting a child purportedly directing a racist remark at Vinicius Junior during Real Madrid's draw at Valencia on Saturday evening.
The video, initially shared by ESPN Brazil, prompted the woman who recorded the incident to disclose to the publication that law enforcement was notified during the match. In previous instances, La Liga has forwarded cases of alleged racism to local authorities.
This match marked Vinicius Jr's inaugural appearance at the Mestalla since Madrid's previous game there in May 2023. During that encounter, the player experienced racist taunts from "hundreds of fans" before the kick-off, as reported by the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF). Similar incidents also occurred throughout the match.
Vinicius Jr netted twice in the Saturday fixture, which garnered attention due to the controversy surrounding Jude Bellingham's late disallowed goal and subsequent red card. Madrid managed to recover from a two-goal deficit to secure a 2-2 draw. Following his goals, the 23-year-old gestured by cupping his ears and raising a fist towards the Valencia supporters.
The previous match and the appalling racist abuse at the Mestalla gained global focus, prompting Valencia to ban three identified fans for their racial abuse towards Vinicius Jr. Initially, the RFEF imposed a three-match stadium ban on Valencia. In October, Vinicius Jr provided testimony regarding the incidents in court.
Valencia and La Liga had been strategising for months to reduce the likelihood of disturbances and to ensure prompt action in case of any incidents during the Saturday match.
They conducted regular meetings to discuss security measures for detecting racist behavior and communication strategies to clarify their actions. Ahead of their November trip to the Bernabeu, Valencia fans received a letter from the club along with their tickets, reminding them that "Valencia fans are not racist" and urging them to“remain above any provocation”. While there were no reported incidents of racist abuse, Vinicius Jr faced jeers and taunts from the Valencia fans during the game.
Following the draw with Valencia, Madrid extended their lead to seven points over second-placed Girona and nine points over third-placed Barcelona. Both Girona and Barcelona were scheduled to play their games in hand on Sunday.