Valencia has released an official statement on Thursday, accusing Real Madrid forward Vinícius Jr. of providing an inaccurate account of the events that transpired at Mestalla Stadium on May 21 when he faced racial abuse from fans during a La Liga match.
In a video teleconference held on Thursday, the Brazilian player presented his version of the incidents. However, Valencia has contested his statements, describing them as “unsubstantiated, false, and overly generalized.” The club asserted that they actively cooperated with the police investigation, identified, and reported the individuals responsible for the racist insults. Still, they felt that Vinícius Jr. unfairly generalized the entire fan base.
Valencia has called for Vinícius Jr. to correct his statements, citing the example of Carlo Ancelotti, who revised his initial remarks by clarifying that it was not the entire Valencia fan base that exhibited racism.
Valencia expressed their surprise, rejection, and indignation regarding the information circulating about Vinícius Jr.’s alleged courtroom statement, where he claimed that the entire Mestalla stadium directed racist insults at him during last season’s match between Valencia CF and Real Madrid CF. The club emphasized its recognition of the gravity of the issue, stressing that racism has no place in football or society. However, they emphasized the importance of addressing it with precision and responsibility, and they urged Vinicius Jr. to publicly correct his purported statement.