La Liga president admits he's 'worried about the racists' who could ruin Clasico as Real Madrid prepare to host Barcelona

With Madrid set to host Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu, Tebas’ worries stem from recent incidents involving intolerant fan behaviour, raising questions over crowd conduct during the iconic rivalry. And his concerns over potential disturbances are not unfounded. Recently, videos circulated widely on social media, showing some Barcelona fans chanting hostile slogans targeting Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr., including a disturbing “Vinicius Die” chant ahead of Barcelona’s Champions League fixture against Bayern Munich at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys.

In response to these rising concerns, La Liga has joined forces with the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security, and Migration to combat racial intolerance within the sport. The newly signed agreement, witnessed by Tebas, aims to reinforce cooperation to reduce racist incidents in football, including the Clasico. A vital component of the agreement is the introduction of the MOOD tool, a digital program designed to track and manage hate speech online. This tool, backed by La Liga, will identify, report, and remove threatening or insulting messages directed at players, thereby providing a proactive approach to combating social media abuse.

Speaking about the agreement, Tebas underlined the necessity of involving “the greatest number of agents possible” in the effort to eliminate racism from Spanish football, stressing that this partnership aligns with La Liga’s longstanding commitment to fighting discrimination both on and off the field. However, he voiced his fears and said, "I am worried about the Clásico and I am worried about the rest of the matches because of the racists and the intolerant. I don't think there are more acts of violence, but there is a much greater sensitivity to reporting this type of behaviour. (I hope) it is a tolerant match, as the last Clasicos have been."

Spanish football has faced several troubling incidents over the past year, but initiatives such as this agreement represent a renewed effort to secure a safer, more inclusive environment for players and fans alike. With Real Madrid and Barcelona’s upcoming clash in El Clasico, the stakes extend beyond the pitch, symbolizing a commitment to progress against the longstanding issue of racism in football.