Manolo González, the coach of Espanyol Barcelona, strongly condemned the acts of racism directed at Moroccan player Maroan Sannadi, who plays for Athletic Bilbao, during the match between the two teams on Sunday, in the 24th round of La Liga.
The coach denounced the unacceptable behavior of certain supporters, emphasizing the importance of fighting against such actions and eradicating them. “These individuals do not represent the entirety of Espanyol’s supporters. It is very difficult to control individuals in a stadium, but it is crucial to eliminate such behavior,” he stated.
The referee of the match, Guillermo Cuadra Fernández, paused the game for a few minutes and activated the anti-racism protocol after Inaki Williams, the Ghanaian player from Athletic Bilbao, alerted him to racist chants directed at Maroan Sannadi, insulting his Moroccan origins. In accordance with the protocol, a visual warning was displayed on the stadium screens, and an audio message was broadcast through the speakers urging the spectators to stop their racist chants. The referee also warned that the match would be permanently suspended if such behavior continued.
Inaki Williams also expressed his disapproval of the actions of some Espanyol supporters, questioning the reasons behind their racism, particularly in a club where a Moroccan player is part of the team and where several African stars have previously played for the club. “The purpose of coming to the stadium is to have a good time, and acts like this should not happen. During the first half, near the corner flag, racist taunts were directed at Maroan (Sannadi) from the stands. Unfortunately, this is not the first time it has happened here. A few years ago, I myself experienced this kind of behavior. A few individuals should not tarnish the reputation of Espanyol’s supporters. It is even more surprising since their left-back, Omar El Hilali, is Moroccan, and the legendary Cameroonian goalkeeper, Thomas N’Kono, is a living legend here,” he said.
