La Liga Faces Renewed Calls to Tackle Racist Chants at Spanish Football Matches

The problem of racist chants directed at players in Spain's top football league, La Liga, has resurfaced in the opening weeks of the 2025/26 season. Real Madrid's Brazilian forward Vinicius Junior has been a frequent target of such abuse, with the authorities taking action in some cases by imposing fines, stadium bans, and even custodial sentences on those found guilty.

However, the latest incident involves Barcelona's English striker Marcus Rashford, who was targeted by racist chants during his team's midweek win at Real Oviedo. While the La Liga protocol dictates that the stadium tannoy should issue a warning to the crowd and then single out and remove those involved, this does not appear to have happened in this case.

La Liga is now expected to reach out to Real Oviedo to investigate the matter further, reviewing footage and gathering statements from security staff and police. The league's handling of such incidents has come under renewed scrutiny, with calls for a more robust and consistent approach to tackling the persistent problem of racism in Spanish football.