Spanish NT coach addresses insults directed at Real Madrid defender – ‘Football is a victim’ | OneFootball

Spain’s national team coach, Luis de la Fuente, has expressed deep regret over offensive remarks directed at a Real Madrid defender.

Speaking after the ‘Values ​​of the World United’ gala, he emphasised the need to eliminate such behaviour from society first, rather than focusing solely on football.

With just a few weeks remaining before he announces his squad for the upcoming Nations League fixtures, De la Fuente took a moment to highlight the calibre of players at his disposal.

He stressed that beyond being talented footballers, they are exceptional individuals who make his job much easier.

On the Asencio incident

The discussion arose following a controversial moment in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final between Real Sociedad and Real Madrid.

Raul Asencio was targetted by Real Sociedad fans. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

During the match, fans were caught on camera directing offensive language towards Real Madrid defender Raul Asencio, an incident that sparked widespread debate.

De la Fuente did not hold back in his response, making it clear that football should always uphold values of respect and sportsmanship.

He pointed out that while football sometimes exposes the less desirable side of human behaviour, the real issue extends beyond the sport itself. Racist and xenophobic insults in stadiums are merely a reflection of a deeper societal problem.

“Football is a school of values, and sometimes the less edifying side of football is reflected. In any case, what happens in a stadium with racist and xenophobic insults is not a problem for football, it is a victim,” he said as quoted by Mundo Deportivo.

According to De la Fuente, tackling these issues within communities first is crucial in preventing them from spilling into football grounds. If society successfully eliminates such conduct from everyday life, then naturally, it will disappear from sporting events as well.

“These are situations that also occur in the street and that we must eradicate. But it means eradicating them from the street first so that they cannot go to football matches. Not the other way around, it is more difficult,” he added.