Spains FA Condemns Islamophobic Chants During Match Against Egypt

Spanish Football Federation Condemns Anti-Muslim Chants During Pre-World Cup Friendly

A pre-World Cup friendly match between Spain and Egypt in Barcelona was marred by racist and anti-Muslim chants from some of the home fans. The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and coach Luis de la Fuente have condemned these incidents, calling them “specific and isolated situations”.

The game, which ended 0-0, saw Egypt’s national anthem jeered ahead of the match, and the public announcement system appealed to fans multiple times to refrain from making offensive comments. The RFEF president, Rafael Louzan, stated that the federation has condemned these attitudes and urged them not to be repeated.

Coach Luis de la Fuente also expressed his disapproval of the behavior of a section of the crowd, describing it as “intolerable”. He emphasized that violent individuals should be removed from society and kept away from public spaces.

The match was played in a hostile environment, with tensions running high due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The game saw several chances for both teams, but neither side could find the back of the net.

Spain made 10 changes from their previous friendly match against Serbia, with Lamine Yamal being the only player to keep his place. Egypt were without their star player, Mohamed Salah, who has been sidelined due to a muscle injury.

The match was part of Spain’s pre-World Cup preparations, which will see them face Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, and Uruguay in Group H in North America this June and July.

Source: Al Jazeera