Luis de la Fuente insisted on Saturday that Spain does not have a racism problem, rejecting mounting scrutiny ahead of his team’s Nations League match against England in Madrid.
Speaking to reporters on the eve of the fixture, the Spain coach addressed questions raised after England manager Thomas Tuchel stated he would brief his squad on anti-racism protocols before kickoff. De la Fuente maintained that there is no racism within Spanish football.
“[T]here is no racism,” De la Fuente said.
The remarks come as La Roja face an upcoming stadium punishment for discriminatory chants. The team must play their next home friendly with a reduced capacity after supporters sang anti-Muslim chants during a fixture against Egypt in March.
Those events compound years of high-profile racist incidents at Spanish matches, most notably involving repeated abuse directed at Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior.
Tuchel had told reporters on Friday that officials are well aware of potential issues. He noted the existence of mandatory procedures designed to tackle discriminatory behavior on the pitch.
“[T]he referee and the officials know about that… There is a protocol in place and it’s important that the players know about the protocol,” Tuchel said on Friday.
The England coach later clarified that his remarks were not aimed specifically at Spain, criticizing journalists for generating unnecessary confusion over his words. He emphasized that he answered a general question about matchday protocols rather than making an accusation.
“[I] never talked about racism in Spain. I answered politely a question about what happens,” Tuchel said.
De la Fuente addressed the availability of young forward Lamine Yamal, who missed Spain’s recent victory over the Czech Republic due to a knee issue.
“[W]e’ll see if he starts, but if he plays, it will be because he is fit to do so. I’m not sure if he can manage a full 90 minutes, but he is in perfect shape,” said De la Fuente.
Match officials and players prepare to take the pitch in Madrid on Sunday.
