MADRID (Sporting Alert) — Real Madrid’s full-back Marcelo, along with his young son were the subject to racist abuse by several Atlético Madrid supporters, following Wednesday evening’s Copa del Rey semi-final first leg clash at the Santiago Bernabéu.
The incident happened when Marcelo, who was an unused substitute in the game, was doing an after game cool-down with some of his Real Madrid team-mates.
It is understood that around 500 Atlético Madrid fans, sitting high in the north stand, were the only ones left in the Santiago Bernabéu stadium, and they targeted the Brazilian defender as he ran towards them during his exercises.
The supporters launched monkey chants at Marcelo, who immediately stood still below them with his hands on his hips gazing up in their direction.
But as he continued with his exercise, the fan chanted: “Marcelo is a monkey.”
As Marcelo’s young son came out and hugged his father, the then sang: “we hope your dad dies”
Sky Sports’ Spanish pundit Graham Hunter also confirmed hearing hearing monkey chants aimed at the 25-year-old.
“The reserve players from Madrid were out, running up and down, doing the warm-down and Marcelo was one of them,” Hunter said.
“Atletico fans were kept in the stadium, quite a common occurrence in England and Spain, and it was at that point they started to make monkey noises towards Marcelo.
“They echoed around the empty stadium and I think for all of us who love Spanish football, it’s time for us to speak out against this.
“Marcelo turned hands on hips, looked up at them, way up at the top of the stands here, shook his head in bewilderment and didn’t react.
“The monkey noises continued, louder and louder. It so happened the warm-down was finishing and a young child, who I take to be Marcelo’s child, was on the sidelines and ran into his arms.
“The Atletico fans then sang ‘Marcelo is a monkey’ and also sang ‘we hope your dad dies’.
Real Madrid won the game 3-0.
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