England’s head coach Thomas Tuchel has reminded his squad of the anti‑racism protocol before the Nations League clash with Spain in Madrid, the first time the English side will play in the city since the 2004 match that ended in racist abuse of black players.
Tuchel said he does not expect any problems at the Metropolitano, but stressed the importance of players being aware of the protocol. “We had the same discussion before the Serbia game,” he noted, adding that the protocol would be explained during a five‑minute briefing.
The 2004 incident, when England won 1‑0 at the Bernabéu, was marred by racist chants aimed at players such as Ashley Cole, Rio Ferdinand and Shaun Wright‑Phillips. The Spanish federation was fined £44,750 in the aftermath. England have since played three matches in Spain, all without incident, but avoided Madrid in 2009, opting for Seville instead.
Spain themselves faced sanctions last month, receiving a £15,000 fine and a partial stadium closure after a chant targeting Muslims during a friendly against Egypt in Barcelona. The Spanish federation was ordered to play the next match with a reduced capacity.
Tuchel emphasized that racism is unacceptable in any stadium. “We will never accept racism. We will never be racist towards anyone. That’s just not who we are,” he said, expressing confidence that the Spanish crowd would support their team while maintaining a safe environment for all players.
Source: The Guardian World
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