Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has said that it is ‘time to change’ after Islamophobic chants marred Spain’s 0-0 draw with Egypt in a friendly match on Tuesday. In particular the incidents impacted Lamine Yamal, who was targeted too.
The chant ‘Whomever doesn’t jump is a Muslim’ was heard on several occasions at the RCDE Stadium, and an investigation has been opened by the police. The following day Lamine Yamal released a statement on the matter, condemning them as ‘intolerable‘.
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick: ‘It’s time to change’
Earlier in the day, Real Madrid counterpart Alvaro Arbeloa was asked about it, and declared that ‘Spain was not a racist country’, before explaining that more work had to be done to eradicate it. Flick praised Lamine Yamal’s statement on the matter.
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“I think Lamine made a fantastic statement. Football stands for inclusion. I think it’s frustrating that small number of idiots don’t understand this. It’s time to reflect and think about what we want in life and in football. We don’t want racism. It is about being together and we all want to be respected regardless of our race and religion. It’s time to change.”
‘It’s a social problem, we’ve lost respect’ – Diego Simeone
Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone was also quizzed on the matter, and stated that it was a sign of societal decline.
“It’s a social problem not just in Spain, but also in Argentina and Brazil, across the world. It’s about the loss of respect. The respect we used to have for a father, a teacher, a coach, the police… that’s something that’s been lost. We have to work with the understanding that with faith and belief in God, things can improve.”
Spain could face a fine or a partial stadium closure if they are sanctioned for the chants, but the fear at the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) is that FIFA could allow it to influence their decision-making with regard to the 2030 World Cup.
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