FC Barcelona's Alejandro Balde Exposes Racial Abuse by Getafe Fans

Madrid, Jan 19 (NationPress) FC Barcelona's Alejandro Balde has disclosed that he was subjected to racial abuse from fans of Getafe during the 1-1 stalemate held at the Coliseum on Saturday, informing the referee about the incident at half-time.

Following Atletico Madrid's loss to Leganes, Barcelona had a prime opportunity to improve their position at the top of the Liga table. Instead of securing three points, they only managed to reduce the gap between them and the league leaders by a single point.

For the fifth consecutive season, Barcelona has left Getafe without a victory. Although Jules Kounde netted an early goal, setting a positive tone, the home team fought back to equalize and then constructed a defensive wall that left Barcelona unable to penetrate.

In his post-match comments, Balde addressed the incident directly: "I endured a series of racist insults. This is unacceptable and should not continue to occur. I reported it to the referee at half-time, who activated the league's protocol in the second half, but I'm uncertain how the process unfolds from that point onward."

According to La Liga's protocol, the match will be halted if racism is witnessed or reported by a player or a security coordinator present in the stadium.

A public announcement is made over the stadium's PA system, explaining the reasoning behind the stoppage and cautioning that if the behavior continues, players will be withdrawn from the field.

Club manager Hansi Flick addressed the unpleasant situation in the post-match press conference, stating, "There is absolutely no place for this behavior. It is unfathomable that such incidents are still occurring today. Those responsible should remain at home and refrain from attending matches, and we need to combat this issue together. It is intolerable, and bystanders should also take action. It's simply unfair."

The club vehemently condemned the vile insults directed at Balde, stating, "Racism has once again reared its ugly head in football. Alejandro Balde was the target of abhorrent abuse from certain Getafe supporters today. There is no room for racism, and we stand 100 percent with you, Balde."

The club reiterated its support for both the player and the coach, emphasizing their public backing for Balde.

In recent years, there have been numerous incidents of racist insults aimed at players in Spanish football, with Real Madrid's Vinícius Júnior frequently being a target.

Barcelona currently holds the third position in La Liga, trailing Atletico Madrid by five points, who lost to Leganes earlier on Saturday.

Getafe, who remain unbeaten in their last five home matches against Barcelona in La Liga, are just one point above the relegation zone.