Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior called out racial abuse that he received from the stands in Mestalla in May of 2023 during a Liga match, and the three fans identified as responsible for making monkey noises have been punished. They have each been handed an eight-month sentence in a landmark ruling.

The Brazilian went directly to the stands to point at the culprits, who were quickly identified by Valencia and had their memberships removed. After a lengthy judicial process, for the first time a prison sentence has been handed out for racism following a La Liga complaint. The RFEF, Real Madrid and Vinicius himself also joined the case.

They have been found liable for a crime against moral integrity, with the aggravating factor of discrimination for racial motives. The guilty trio could have faced 12 months in prison as a maximum, but saw four months of the sentence reduced due to co-operation. Similarly, they will face a two-year ban from football grounds rather than three years. They will also pay the legal costs, and read a statement apologising to La Liga, Vinicius and Real Madrid, which also highlighted the role of La Liga in combating racism.

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