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Valencia has issued a statement accusing Vinicius Jr of sharing ‘fallacies and unfounded lies’ after the player testified in an ongoing trial centred on three people who allegedly abused the Brazil international in May.
At the end of last season, the 23-year-old received racist abuse from the spectators at Valencia’s Mestalla ground.
The winger pointed out the fans who were making the discriminatory comments, and the game was paused as the referee talked with the fourth official and the coaches on the touchline. But play continued, and Vinicius was later handed a red card in the fracas which was eventually rescinded.
After the match, Vinicius posted an Instagram story which saw him state that ‘racism is normal in La Liga’ and that ‘the championship that once belonged to Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Cristiano, and Messi, now belongs to racists’.
As per MARCA, in the player’s testimony in court on Thursday, Vinicius claimed that the whole of Mestalla were racially abusing him, and that he felt like a victim of discrimination.
Vinicius’ team-mate Eder Militao has been called upon by the judge to provide an eye-witness account as the trial continued.
But Valencia, who were hit with a partial stadium ban and a £40,000 fine, slammed the testimony, and issued a strongly worded statement that detailed their ‘surprise, rejection, and indignation’ at his comments.
‘As coach Carlo Ancelotti himself publicly acknowledged, in no case can the behaviour be generalised to the entire Mestalla stadium,’ the statement read.
‘The club is fully aware of the seriousness of this matter. Racism has no place in football or in society, but it cannot be fought with fallacies or unfounded lies.
‘This issue requires the involvement of everyone and Valencia CF understands that it must be scrupulously precise and responsible in this type of demonstrations.
‘The Valencia fans cannot be classified as racist and Valencia CF demands that Vinicius Jr. publicly rectify his alleged statement this morning.’
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