MADRID — The match between Athletic Bilbao and Espanyol faced a temporary halt on Sunday due to racist chants emanating from the stands.
The referee took action by implementing the anti-racism protocol, which resulted in the game being paused approximately 20 minutes into the first half.
Iñaki Williams, a forward for Athletic, spoke out against the discriminatory chants, which he noted were aimed at his teammate, Maroan Sannadi.
Williams has previously experienced similar abuse from Espanyol supporters himself.
“Fans should attend football matches to enjoy the experience,” he remarked.
“Such incidents are unacceptable.”
The disruption lasted for around three minutes, during which an announcement was made to remind the audience of the legal consequences linked to such behavior.
The match concluded with a score of 1-1, as Oihan Sancet netted an equalizer in the 77th minute following Roberto Fernández’s opening goal for the hosts in the 62nd minute.
The Spanish football authorities are anticipated to investigate the incident, with Espanyol potentially facing sanctions.
The draw allowed Athletic to maintain a four-point lead over Villarreal, keeping them in the fourth and final Champions League qualification spot, as Villarreal had a match against Valencia that ended in a draw on Saturday.
In another match, Real Sociedad experienced a setback, losing 3-0 to Real Betis.
The team had Igor Zubeldia dismissed in the 20th minute, while Sheraldo Becker received a red card in the 75th minute, marking the club’s first loss after a three-match winning streak across all competitions.
Following this defeat, Sociedad slipped to 11th place in the league standings.
Marc Roca stood out for Betis by scoring twice, propelling the team to 8th place.
Sevilla ended a three-match winless run with an impressive 4-0 victory over bottom-placed Valladolid, where Juanlu Sánchez contributed two goals.
Isaac Romero and Dodi Lukebakio also found the net for the visitors, who improved their position to 12th in the league.
Valladolid’s losing streak extended to five matches, with frustrated fans protesting against the club’s owner, former Brazilian star Ronaldo, holding signs that read “Ronaldo Go Home.”
In another fixture, Mallorca secured a much-needed win, defeating Las Palmas 3-1 at home, with striker Vedat Muriqi netting two goals early in the match.
This victory marked Mallorca’s first win in six matches, following five consecutive losses and a draw against Osasuna in the previous league round.
Mallorca is currently placed seventh, just outside the European qualifying positions.
Meanwhile, Las Palmas remains in 17th place, having not won in their last seven matches, which includes six defeats and one draw.
