"You really have to have zero tolerance for that": after allegations of racist insults against French defender Mouctar Diakhaby and the interruption of the La Liga meeting on Sunday between Cadiz and Valencia, Real Madrid coach Zinédine Zidane qualified on Monday these incidents of "serious".
“These are serious things.
I wasn't in the field so I don't know exactly what happened.
But I'm just saying, and it's my feeling, that when it comes to racism, you really have to have zero tolerance, ”said the French coach at a press conference before the quarter-final first leg of the Champions League. Real against Liverpool on Tuesday night.
“Because we don't want to.
And not just on a word that is said.
We have to fight this at all levels.
What makes our beauty is our diversity, it's the difference, that's what is beautiful about what we experience, ”Zizou said.
On Monday morning in training, the players and members of the Valencia staff gathered behind French defender Mouctar Diakhaby, right hand straight ahead, palm spread, to express their opposition to racism.
Ayer, hoy, mañana y siempre:
¡𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗣 𝗔𝗟 𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗜𝗦𝗠𝗢!
🖐🖐🏻🖐🏼🖐🏽🖐🏾🖐🏿
Nuestro TOTAL APOYO a @ Diakhaby_5.
Lucharemos hasta el final para ensarecer lo sucedido, defender a nuestro jugador y erradicar el racismo.
#JuntsAnemAMUNT! #AllToPlayFor pic.twitter.com/Zvr9CCFyYR
- Valencia CF 🦇🍊🌊 (@valenciacf) April 5, 2021
"La Liga condemns racism in all its forms", for its part declared the Spanish Football League, recalling that it "takes seriously any accusation of racism".
The Cadiz player will speak on Tuesday
The Cádiz club announced on Twitter in the morning that their player Juan Cala would give a press conference on Tuesday at the end of the training session.
“Cala says he never insulted the player at any time.
I have to believe my player, his coach Alvaro Cervera commented on Sunday evening.
He didn't tell me he hadn't told him anything, he told me he hadn't insulted him.
"" I know Diakhaby well ... he would not have abandoned the match for no reason, "reacted for his part Eliaquim Mangala, the defender and former French international from Valencia, currently injured.
[🎞️RESUME] 🇪🇸 #LaLiga
😳 Cadiz beats Valencia in the controversy!
➡️ A match marred by an interruption following racist remarks against Mouctar Diakhaby ...
📉 Despite a goal from Gameiro, the Che club chained a 5th defeat in 6 games https://t.co/hht2g7XgtT
- beIN SPORTS (@beinsports_FR) April 4, 2021
In the Spanish press this Monday, we wonder and we are sometimes indignant about the return of the Valencians on the lawn.
A request from Diakhaby according to the club, which claims to have been forced by the referee to resume the game on pain of losing on the green carpet.
In a video, alongside his player, President Anil Murthy said on Monday that he was going to push the national federation to change the rules.
And ensure that matches are stopped in the event of racist acts.
PSG express newsletter
Our information on the capital club
Subscribe to the newsletterAll newsletters
“We still don't understand why, after suffering this racist insult and seeing the referee give Diakhaby a yellow card, we had to go out and then replay because the rules do not protect the victim and the team in this type of case ( ...) The time for change has come and Valencia CF will go all the way to support their player and fight against racism.
Yesterday, we took a step back in the fight against racism, ”he lamented.