Outrage in Albacete: Vinícius Jr Faces Racism Yet Again

Racist chants targeted Real Madrid's Vinícius Jr at the Carlos Belmonte stadium ahead of a Copa del Rey match against Albacete. The incident highlights ongoing racial abuse toward the Brazilian player, with past legal actions marking significant judicial responses. Real Madrid has not addressed the recent event.

In a disheartening episode, racial abuse towards Real Madrid's star forward, Vinícius Jr, was reported outside the Carlos Belmonte stadium before a Copa del Rey clash with Albacete.

The chants came from individuals assembled near the stadium, targeting the 25-year-old Brazilian, who has faced multiple instances of racism during his time in Spain. Albacete's official social media denounced the behavior, emphasizing that such acts of racism are abhorrent and not representative of their community or club values.

Vinícius was part of Álvaro Arbeloa's starting lineup for the cup match, his inaugural game as Real Madrid's manager post-Xabi Alonso's departure. The incident follows a landmark 2025 court ruling that assigned prison sentences for racist abuse directed at Vinícius during a previous match, a historic verdict in Spain treating such actions as hate crimes. While Vinícius has persistently called out inadequate reactions by authorities, there were no immediate comments from Real Madrid following this recent occurrence.