The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has officially opened a disciplinary investigation following a report filed by the referee’s delegate after Real Madrid’s Copa del Rey round-of-16 match against Albacete. The case stems from an incident in the closing moments of the game, when a banana peel was thrown in the direction of Vinícius Jr.
The incident occurred after Albacete scored their third goal of the night through Jefté Betancor. As the ball ended up near the Real Madrid bench, the referee’s delegate noted the object being thrown from the stands toward Vinícius, prompting a formal complaint. Because the report was officially filed, the RFEF disciplinary judge decided last Friday to launch an extraordinary investigation to gather further details and testimonies.
Over the coming weeks, the RFEF will assess the findings of this investigation. A final decision is expected within roughly one month, at which point the case could either be dismissed or escalate into a proposed sanction. Should the latter occur, Albacete would then be granted a ten-business-day window to submit their defense.
The potential consequences are significant. Under Spanish football regulations, racist, xenophobic, or intolerant behavior from supporters can lead to sanctions ranging from fines to partial stadium closures. In this case, the Carlos Belmonte stadium could face partial closure if the offense is deemed severe enough.
If a sanction involving stadium closure is ultimately imposed, it would take effect during the first home match following the ruling. However, it is considered unlikely that a final decision will be reached in time to affect Albacete’s upcoming Copa del Rey quarterfinal clash against FC Barcelona on February 3. A more immediate outcome could be a financial penalty accompanied by a formal warning regarding future public order violations.
Once again, Vinícius Jr. finds himself at the center of a deeply troubling episode, highlighting the persistent issue of racism in Spanish football and the ongoing pressure on governing bodies to respond decisively.
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