LaLiga players and officials called for racism to be tackled in Spain as the competition resumed in the wake of the latest Vinicius Junior incident. Before Tuesday night’s game between Celta Vigo and Girona, players from both sides, as well as the match officials, stood behind a banner which read “Racism, out of football”. LaLiga shared the pre-match clip on its official Twitter account with the hashtag #JUNTOSContraElRacismo (#TOGETHERagainstRacism). The footage also showed a supporter holding up a placard with ‘No Al Racismo’ (No to Racism) written on it. Play on the field resumed after a turbulent weekend when Real Madrid forward Vinicius was allegedly subjected to racist chants during Sunday’s game at Valencia and later claimed it was an example of “continuous episodes spread across several cities in Spain”. LaLiga will request greater jurisdiction to punish clubs whose fans are guilty of racist abuse after feeling “powerless” at the lack of current sanctions in the wake of the latest Vinicius incident. According to the country’s law, LaLiga can currently only identify and report incidents, and punishment is rarely handed out. Now it wants legislation changing so that it has the power to impose punishment such as forcing games to be played behind closed doors or financial penalties. This comes on the day four people were arrested in Spain under suspicion of hanging an effigy of Vinicius off a bridge in January. An inflatable doll dressed in a Vinicius shirt was hung from the railings with a banner that read ‘Madrid hates Real Madrid’ ahead of Real’s Copa del Rey game with city rivals Atletico at the start of the year. And Spanish police confirmed on Tuesday that four suspects had been apprehended. They tweeted: “Arrested in #Madrid 4 people who allegedly hung a mannequin with the #Vinicius shirt on a bridge near the Ciudad Deportiva del @realmadrid.” The Brazil international threatened to leave the pitch in the second half after being subjected to alleged monkey chants at the Mestalla. Real Madrid said the abuse constituted a “hate crime” and filed a complaint with the Spanish State Attorney General’s Office. Valencia on Tuesday confirmed that police have identified three fans suspected of racial abuse, but denied their fanbase is racist. In a statement, the club said: “The match against Real Madrid was broadcast live and it is totally false that the entire stadium was shouting racist remarks. “There has been a lot of confusion and misinformation in the last few days. Valencia demand a responsible and serious approach to the matter. “This is a very sensitive issue and everyone must remain factual. We cannot accept the labelling of Valencia fans as racist. It is not true. We call for respect. “Racism has no place in football or in our society. Valencia strongly condemn racism.” Vinicius tweeted on Monday night: “Every round away from home is an unpleasant surprise. And there were many this season. Death wishes, hanged doll, many criminal screams… All registered. These are not isolated cases. They are continuous episodes spread across several cities in Spain (and even in a television programme). Vinicius Junior “But the speech always falls on ‘isolated cases’, ‘a fan’. No, these are not isolated cases. They are continuous episodes spread across several cities in Spain (and even in a television programme). “The evidence is there in the video. Now I ask: how many of these racists had names and photos exposed on websites? I answer to make it easier: zero. None to tell a sad story or make those fake public apologies. “What is missing to criminalise these people? And punish clubs sportingly? Why don’t sponsors charge LaLiga? Don’t televisions bother to broadcast this barbarity every weekend? “The problem is very serious and communications no longer work. Not blaming me to justify criminal acts either. You are not football, you are inhuman.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Newcastle celebrate Champions League qualification – Tuesday’s sporting social Jack Draper ‘in a good place’ after another win in Lyon St Helens’ Morgan Knowles urged to improve discipline after latest ban

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Bruno Fernandes is confident Manchester United will prove they are a “big team” as they attempt to kick on from a promising first campaign under Erik ten Hag. This time last year, the Dutchman was sifting through the mess left by a wretched 2021-22 campaign in which embarrassing results compounded incoherent performances. Ten Hag quickly stamped his mark on the team and oversaw United’s first trophy win since 2017, with the Carabao Cup triumph followed by a third-placed Premier League finish. The Old Trafford giants also lost the FA Cup final to Manchester City and newly-appointed captain Fernandes is demanding more this time around. Manchester United have to fight for everything. This club deserves that Bruno Fernandes “We did a really good season,” the skipper said. “It was not successful, but I think that our season was good. “We started in the wrong way. We had two bad results, our away games were not the best. We didn’t get the best results. But I think overall the season was good. “Obviously it was the first season for the manager, first season for many players.” He continued: “Now we know that we have to improve game-wise and we will. We will improve it and we will show that we are a big team. “Manchester United have to fight for everything. This club deserves that. “We know when you come to a club like this that you have to fight for all the trophies that you are included in. That’s what we have to do. “Fight for them, try our best to win every game that we have and that’s it.” It is really good to be captain of Manchester United, it is a big achievement in my career but now there is a lot of work to do Bruno Fernandes United certainly appear on the right track, with Mason Mount brought in from Chelsea and Inter Milan goalkeeper Andre Onana following him to the club this week. The Red Devils are now pushing for a striker to bolster a side that beat fellow title hopefuls Arsenal 2-0 on Saturday in New Jersey thanks to goals from Fernandes and Jadon Sancho. The Portuguese scored as he led the side as permanent skipper for the first time since Ten Hag decided to take the armband off of Harry Maguire. “There was a feeling I would like it to be me but I didn’t hear,” Fernandes said of the decision. “The manager wanted to tell the team together. It is really good to be captain of Manchester United, it is a big achievement in my career but now there is a lot of work to do. “The manager chose me because of what I was doing last season and the way he worked with me. “He liked the way I work, my discipline, everything I give, my passion, everything I give, so I don’t see why I should change. “(The approach) will be the same. I don’t need to change anything. “You have to be as natural as you can because they all know me, they know I am really vocal, that I try to be open with everyone, be clear and try to help in the way I think is the best. “Sometimes I can be wrong and not be the best way, but they know me really very well, so they know I will give everything for them. “Everything I said to them is because I think they can do good things because they are big players in the dressing room.”