Real Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger alleges he was racially abused during Club World Cup game

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Rudiger alleged that he was the victim of racist abuse during Real Madrid’s 3-1 win over Mexican side Pachuca in their Club World Cup game. (Reuters)

German defender Antonio Rudiger alleged that he was the victim of racist abuse during Real Madrid’s 3-1 win over Mexican side Pachuca in their Club World Cup game in Charlotte, North Carolina, late on Sunday.

Towards the end of the game, as the five minutes of added stoppage time approached, an altercation erupted between sets of players from both teams. After that was dismissed, referee Ramon Abatti could be seen in discussion with the defender, and then crossed his forearms in front of his chest, which signals the activation of the anti-racism protocol.

Later, Real Madrid’s newly appointed head coach, Xabi Alonso, confirmed that Rudiger told the team he had been racially abused.

“That’s what Rudiger said, and we believe him,” Alonso replied to a question on whether the German defender had been abused, according to Reuters. “It is important to have zero tolerance in these kinds of situations. FIFA now is investigating. That’s all I can say.”

According to a later news report in The Athletic, Rudiger’s allegation was not towards any member of the crowd but rather against Pachuca’s club captain, Gustavo Cabral. The publication quoted Cabral as responding: “It was a fight, we collided, he said that I hit him with my hand and then there was an argument and the referee made the sign of racism. In Argentina we say ‘cagon de mierda’ (a profanity used to call someone a coward), all the time I told him the same thing.”

Pachuca head coach, Jaime Lozano, was quoted as saying in the post-match press conference by The Athletic that he had not yet spoken to Cabral about the incident, but “nothing justifies” racist abuse.

“I only found out now that you are telling me, we haven’t talked about it in the dressing room. I haven’t spoken to Cabral about it, I couldn’t give you any explanation or justification in that sense,” he said. “Nothing justifies that, but I will talk to him but knowing him from before this has never happened with him, nor with any of these Pachuca players in our league. I tell you I can put my hands in the fire for my captain.”

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