La Liga Refers Barcelona Fan Chants Against Espanyol to Disciplinary Committee

La Liga has officially reported a series of chants made by a group of Barcelona fans during the derby match against Espanyol, hosted at the RCD Espanyol Stadium. These chants contained offensive phrases that were repeated at various points throughout the game. The league submitted its report to both the Competition Committee of the Spanish Football Federation and the Anti-Violence Committee, as part of its routine procedures to address chants that incite violence or contain offensive content contrary to the spirit of sportsmanship.

The report specifically identified the "Grada Gol 1957" fan group as having collectively chanted "I hate Espanyol" during the 30th, 55th, and 65th minutes of the match. These chants reportedly lasted approximately 40 seconds during the first instance and 25 seconds in the subsequent occurrences. Such behavior triggered the activation of the stadium's anti-violence protocol, leading the Espanyol club delegation to display warning messages on electronic screens and via the internal public address system in the 32nd and 57th minutes, reminding attendees of the legal provisions prohibiting such conduct.

This legal action by La Liga aims to reinforce adherence to the code of conduct and sports legislation that prohibits racism, xenophobia, and intolerance within sports, as such actions are punishable under the local federation's disciplinary law. In a related development, prior to this incident, Espanyol midfielder Pol Lozano had been subjected to abuse from some fans on social media, which ultimately led him to close his personal Instagram account.