La Liga are investigating allegations Valencia’s Mouctar Diakhaby was racially abused by Juan Cala of Cadiz throughout their recreation on the weekend, the league’s president Javier Tebas confirmed on Monday. “We are already carrying out an internal investigation with the videos and images of the game we have to clarify what happened,” Tebas instructed Movistar. “The accounts are contradictory but looking at the behaviour of the Valencia player you can see that something happened.”
Valencia’s gamers walked off in the course of the first half of Sunday’s recreation in protest however later resumed, with the membership claiming they have been instructed they’d be punished in the event that they refused to return. “Valencia has to do what the referee determines,” mentioned Tebas. “Obviously the referee did not hear anything because if he had I have no doubt that he would have suspended the game. What Valencia did was follow the instructions of the referee.”
Diakhaby had been concerned in a heated alternate with Cala earlier than the Frenchman left the sphere and the fixture was stopped.
Referee David Medie wrote in his match report Diakhaby instructed him that Cala known as him a “negro de mierda”, which means a “sh**ty black”.
Medie wrote the insult had “not been picked up by any of the refereeing team”.
Cadiz coach Alvaro Cervera mentioned after the sport that Cala insisted he had not racially insulted Diakhaby.
“We returned to the changing room, we talked,” Cervera mentioned. “Cala said that at no time did he insult the player. I believe in my player.”
Cadiz have introduced Cala may also maintain a press convention on Tuesday to present his model of occasions.
Valencia launched a video on Monday afternoon of first workforce gamers and employees standing behind Diakhaby on the membership’s coaching pitch.
Everyone pictured is making a cease sign with their hand whereas there may be additionally footage of Diakhaby talking to teach Javi Gracia and being hugged by team-mates.
“Today, tomorrow, always, stop racism,” the put up learn. “We’ll fight until the end to clarify what happened, defend our player and eradicate racism!”
Valencia initially indicated it had been Diakhaby’s request for the gamers to maintain enjoying however the membership launched one other assertion on Sunday night time saying the gamers had been “forced” to proceed, below risk of punishment.
“In the changing rooms we were told if we didn’t return, we would be sanctioned,” mentioned Gracia after the match.
“In that moment, we spoke with Diakha, about how he was, and he told us that he wouldn’t play but he understood perfectly we had to continue playing to avoid a possible sanction, so we returned.”
Valencia defender Jose Gaya instructed Movistar: “He (Diakhaby) told us he was insulted in a racist way. We went back out to play because they told us they could penalise us with three points and something more. He asked us to go back, he’s gutted, it was a very ugly insult.”
The membership’s president Anil Murthy mentioned on Monday it mustn’t have been left to the gamers to halt the sport.
“We are saddened that, following the incident, there was no reaction to stop the game, and that it was our players who were the ones to leave the field of play,” Murthy mentioned. “There cannot be a lack of action in light of these types of situations.”
Diakhaby argued with Cala within the twenty ninth minute following a tussle between the pair in Valencia’s penalty space. Diakhaby out of the blue sprinted in direction of Cala, who was standing near the midway line.
Several gamers rushed over to separate them, with Valencia’s Gabriel Paulista amongst these shouting on the referee. Diakhaby was visibly distressed and his response earned him a yellow card.
After being escorted away, Diakhaby spoke individually with the referee earlier than strolling off, his team-mates following behind. The Cadiz gamers waited a couple of minutes earlier than additionally leaving the pitch.
Around quarter-hour later, each groups returned and an extra 5 minutes afterwards, the sport restarted, this time with out Diakhaby, who was changed by Hugo Guillamon and watched the second half sitting within the stands.
Cala was substituted at half-time, having earlier scored the opening aim for Cadiz, who went on to win the match 2-1.
Marca’s entrance web page on Monday carried a black background behind a photograph of Diakhaby sitting within the stands, with the headline ‘You are not alone’.
