Saturday’s match between Atletico Madrid and Athletic Club, which the hosts won 3-1, was overshadowed by another racist incident in Spanish football. Nico Williams was subjected to monkey chants from a small section of home supporters, which caused the match to be temporarily halted by the on-field referee.
Following the incident, some Atleti supporters whistled Williams whenever he touched the ball at the Civitas Metropolitano, a reaction that utterly bemused his older brother, Inaki Williams. He told the media post-match that it should have been those that were racist being on the end of those whistles, as per Marca.
“I knew that if my brother reacts like that, something has happened. He’s heard monkey chants. That has nothing to do with football or life in general. The referee was very good at intervening. Then people would whistle at my brother every time he had the ball, I don’t understand it. You have to whistle at the insulter, not at the victim.”
(Nico) Williams managed to respond in the best way, scoring soon after the incident took place, at which point he ran up to the section of Atletico Madrid supporters where the chants came from. Unfortunately for Athletic Club, it wasn’t enough, as their hopes of Champions League qualification took a big hit.
