Arsenal’s Spanish midfielder Cesc Fabregas has said that the English Football Association was wrong to ask its Spanish counterparts to move England’s exhibition game in Madrid next February to another venue. When England last played at Real Madrid’s Bernabeu stadium in 2004, its black players were subject to racist abuse from the home spectators.
“I don’t know if racism is the word,” said Fabregas, capped 35 times by Spain. “I had not yet broken into the Spanish team for that game four years ago, but a good friend and teammate of mine, [Ashley] Cole, played with England and he felt hurt. The players may have returned to England annoyed, but I do not think we have got to the point where Spaniards are viewed as racists. I don’t think we are — it is a bit extreme.”
In a more cryptically worded comment, he added: “It is necessary to reduce the importance of this charge because in football the fans are always going to support the team and be behind us.” So they’re not racists, they just express themselves in a racist manner to show their support? And for some reason, these poor, misunderstood fans are misinterpreted as being racist!
Meanwhile England defender Rio Ferdinand, who was outspoken about FIFA’s pathetic fine of Croatia for their fans’ racist abuse during England’s World Cup qualifier in Zagreb last month, has said he’d be happy to play in Madrid. “Going back to Madrid is not a problem,” he said. “Everyone knows what happened last time. If we did go back there, it would be nice to imagine that the same kind of stuff that happened to the black players last time doesn’t happen again.” It would be nice. If only the world was a nice place.