A third teenager investigated at Mestalla in connection with alleged racist remarks toward Real Madrid CF forward Vinicius Júnior admitted making a gesture in response to provocation during the game, while maintaining that no insults or racist motives were involved. The admission was shared as part of the testimony provided to investigators.
Today, Valencia Investigation Court No. 10, which handles cases of possible racial insults toward Vinicius Júnior, heard the young man’s account. The upcoming Santander League clash between Real Madrid and Valencia CF is scheduled to take place at the Mestalla Stadium on 21 May. The investigation has already explored the events surrounding the match and the reactions of those present.
The teenager had been expected to testify earlier, together with two other individuals under investigation, but his testimony was postponed for personal reasons. On this occasion he answered questions from the judge and from his defense attorney, outlining what happened during a moment in the match.
He confirmed that he gestured toward Vinicius in response to what he perceived as provocation, yet he firmly denied directing insults or acting with racist intent. One of his lawyers, Manuel Izquierdo, stated that his client did not utter any insults and chose a spontaneous reaction to what Vinicius had done repeatedly in the game, describing the moment as a brief two-second gesture. The lawyer emphasized that the individual involved is 18 years old and argued that the incident should not be treated as a racist crime, but rather as a moment of competitive heat during the game. The lawyer added that the focus should remain on what occurred at the 72nd minute and urged that the broader issue of racism not overshadow the individual incident.
When asked about the delay in Vinicius Júnior’s own testimony due to travel, the lawyer commented that Vinicius does not seem to attach great importance to the case and that the story may have been amplified beyond its significance. The lawyer suggested that Vinicius gave it more attention than necessary and that the matter had grown out of proportion.
Another lawyer, Ramón Igual, reminded reporters that the defendant is a young man who has just turned 18 and noted the heavy social pressure from media on young people. He described the event as a spontaneous reaction, admittedly rude and vulgar to some degree, but argued that labeling the incident as a broad assault on racism would be an excessive response to what actually happened.
Two other youths questioned in the process also testified about a month earlier. They stated that they did not harbor hatred or racist intent toward Vinicius or any other player. They explained to the judge that their gestures occurred in the heat of a football match and that Vinicius had been provoking the stadium and its fans, a context they believed should be considered when assessing the actions taken.
Valencia’s Court No. 10 initiated the procedure after receiving a report from the Valencia Community Police Information Brigade about a possible hate crime. In parallel, the court has received a separate complaint related to the same events, with the National Professional Football League recognized as a private prosecutor in the case [Source: Valencia Court records].