La Liga investigating alleged Vinicius Junior racist abuse in Valencia draw

La Liga has launched an investigation after a video circulated on social media showing a young Valencia fan allegedly calling Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior a monkey during the 2-2 draw on Saturday night.

ESPN Brazil posted the footage and later spoke with the woman who recorded the incident, who said police were called during the game.

The match was Vinicius’ first at the Mestalla since last May, when he was racially abused by home fans. The Brazilian scored twice on Saturday night to help Los Blancos secure a point, though they were denied a late winner after the referee blew for full-time before Jude Bellingham headed in a cross.

Valencia outlawed three fans for racist abuse during the game last May and were also hit with a three-game partial stadium ban by the Spanish football federation.

Vinicius was also involved in a fiery confrontation after equalising with Valencia striker Hugo Duro, who accused him of disrespect with his celebration.

Duro said: “In the goal he put his hands over his ears towards the stands and I blamed him for it and he told me that I did the same thing.

“But it’s not the same that I do it at home and that he does it outside home. If I do it at the Bernabeu, they would get angry. I think it’s a bit disrespectful.

“I only told him to dedicate himself to playing because to me he seems like a plane, he seems like a cucumber.

“I told him, ‘dedicate yourself to playing because if you do you would be much better than what you are’.

“At a football level I only have words of praise because he is unstoppable, almost.”

Last May’s scenes at the Mestalla prompted a moral panic over racism in Spanish football and wider society. Vinicius later hit out at La Liga president Javier Tebas for his poor response.

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