Flick: “We are against racism”.
Sant Joan Despí (Barcelona), April 3 (EFE)
FC Barcelona coach Hansi Flick commented this Friday that the world of football is “for inclusion” and “against racism,” despite it being something that happens every day.
The German made these remarks following the racist chants that occurred during the Spain-Egypt friendly match played last Tuesday at the RCDE Stadium.
“What do I think of what Lamine (Yamal) said? He made a great statement,” Flick commented. “It’s something (racism) that happens daily in football, on and off the pitch. You see things like this often, and a small number of idiots don’t understand it,” the Barça coach insisted.
Flick believes it is “time to reflect on this,” because the world of football does not want racism to occur within its environment, “not now, not ever.” “We are against racism, but we experience it every day. We all need to stand together, and we all want to be respected regardless of our race or religion. It’s time to change these ways of thinking,” he said.
Following the friendly match, Lamine Yamal described the Islamophobic chants sung by a section of the RCDE Stadium crowd during Tuesday’s friendly between Spain and Egypt as “an intolerable lack of respect,” and labeled those responsible as “ignorant and racist.”
“I am a Muslim, alhamdulillah (thanks be to God). In the stadium, the chant ‘whoever doesn’t jump is a Muslim’ was heard. I know it was directed at the opposing team and wasn’t personal against me, but as a Muslim, it is still a lack of respect and something intolerable,” the Barcelona player wrote on his Instagram profile.
