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Another incident of alleged racist abuse has rocked the Spanish LaLiga

LaLiga was once again marred by racism as Athletic Bilbao’s Inaki Williams reported abuse directed at teammate Maroan Sannadi during Sunday’s 1-1 draw against Espanyol.

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The match had to be temporarily stopped after Espanyol fans were heard making racist chants towards Sannadi, whose parents are Moroccan.

LaLiga match stopped after racist abuse

The incident unfolded in the 16th minute when Williams alerted the referee, Guillermo Cuadra Fernandez, to the abuse coming from the home crowd.

The match was halted as the referee consulted with both captains and the match delegate, following LaLiga’s anti-racism protocols.

A message condemning violence, xenophobia, homophobia, and racism was displayed on the stadium screen, and stadium announcements were made to urge fans to stop the abuse.

The match resumed after a three-minute delay, but the referee warned that further incidents could lead to the game being abandoned.

Clubs and players condemn racism in LaLiga

Both Espanyol and Athletic Bilbao strongly condemned the racist abuse after the match, emphasising their commitment to eradicating discrimination from football.

The issue of racism in LaLiga has been under intense scrutiny, with Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr previously calling for Spain to be stripped of the 2030 World Cup if meaningful action isn’t taken.

LaLiga and the Spanish Football Federation have introduced measures such as partial stadium closures, but repeated incidents continue to damage the league’s reputation.

As LaLiga struggles to combat racism, this latest incident shows the urgent need for stronger action by the league’s governing body to protect players from abuse on the pitch.