De la Fuente claims ‘no racism’ in Spain before England showdown

On Saturday, Spain's national football team coach Luis de la Fuente declared that there was no racism problem in Spain prior to the team's upcoming Nations League match against England. This claim came despite a recent punishment for anti-Muslim chanting at a stadium earlier in the year. Referring to the matter a day after England coach Thomas Tuchel mentioned he would discuss the anti-racism protocol with his players ahead of Sunday's match in Madrid, de la Fuente stated there is "no racism" in Spain.

England players have faced racist abuse in the past, including an incident in 2004 in Madrid's capital. Since then, multiple other instances of racist abuse at Spanish football matches, often targeting players like Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior, have taken place. Tuchel had previously mentioned that the referee and officials were aware of the racist chanting, emphasizing the importance of players knowing the protocol.

However, he later clarified that his comments were not specifically about Spain and criticized media for causing confusion. De la Fuente also mentioned that star player Lamine Yamal, who missed Spain's recent win due to a knee issue, was in good condition and it was uncertain whether he would start the match.