Spanish soccer club Espanyol faces possible sanctions after its fans allegedly directed racist abuse at Brazilian soccer superstar Neymar, who plays club ball for FC Barcelona, in a match last weekend.
The Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional (LFP), Spain’s pro soccer league, announced on Thursday that it has reported Espanyol to Spain’s anti-violence commission due to fan behavior last Saturday, according to the AFP.
The LFP report says fans directed monkey chants at Neymar after he was called offsides early in the match, according to the AFP. It is unfortunately not uncommon for pro soccer players of African descent in Europe to be abused with racist insults during matches.
Earlier in the week, Neymar said he didn’t notice any chanting during the teams’ 0-0 draw on Saturday. But teammate Andres Iniesta said he heard racist abuse from one fan during the first half.
What did or did not happen is now for Spain’s anti-violence commission to determine. Potential penalties could be as light as a fine or as severe as a temporary closure of Espanyol’s Cornella-El Prat stadium, according to the AFP.
