Athletic Club forward Maroan Sannadi was the victim of vile racist abuse during today’s 1-1 draw against Espanyol at the RCDE Stadium. The game was paused in the 17th minute after fans hurled disgusting insults at the Moroccan striker.
Eyewitnesses say a section of the crowd shouted “puto moro” (f**king Moroccan) at Sannadi after he won a corner. Referee Guillermo Cuadra Fernandez stopped play for three minutes, and an anti-racism message was played over the stadium speakers.
The 24-year-old was visibly shaken but carried on playing. His teammate Iñaki Williams later spoke out, recalling that he himself was racially abused at the same stadium in 2020.
“Football should be a place for enjoyment. It’s a Sunday, a great day, two in the afternoon… Such things should not happen. This is not the first time it has happened here. I experienced it years ago,” Williams said in an interview with Movistar.
This is not an isolated case. Just last week, Sannadi and two other Athletic players, Adama Boiro and Alvaro Djalo, were targeted by racist fans during a match against Real Betis.
La Liga has seen several high-profile racist incidents in recent years, with Vinicius Junior, Lamine Yamal, and Raphinha all facing abuse.
Espanyol have yet to release a statement, but pressure is mounting for serious action to be taken to prevent further abhorrent scenes.
