In February 2023, Liga match between Mallorca and Real Madrid at the San Moix Stadium was marred by racist acts. At the time, it was Vinicius Junior who was targeted by insults from a man, who reoffended two weeks later by making similar remarks against Samuel Chukwueze, then a Villarreal player.

Of course, Real Madrid did not stop there and filed a complaint. The verdict was long in coming, but this Thursday, the Merengue club announced that the man in question had been sentenced by the courts.

“Real Madrid CF announces that the Instruction Court No. 3 of Palma de Mallorca has today handed down a sentence to the individual who made racist insults against Vinicius Júnior in the match between Mallorca and Real Madrid, on February 5, 2023, at the San Moix stadium,” Real Madrid said in a statement.

The defendant was found guilty of two crimes against moral integrity, aggravated by acting with racist motivations, committed against Vinicius Júnior, as well as against the player Samu Chukwueze, then a Villarreal player, who suffered similar insults two weeks later. The court sentenced the defendant to twelve months in prison, also sentencing him to a 3-year ban from stadiums, where La Liga and Spanish Federation matches are played. The suspension of the prison sentence was conditional on the defendant apologizing and expressing his regret in a letter addressed to Vinicius Júnior, a participant in an equal treatment and non-discrimination program.

This is the third criminal conviction handed down in recent months for racist insults received by Real Madrid players.