Moroccan footballer Omar El Hilali, a full-back for Espanyol, has expressed his strong condemnation of the racist chants heard during the recent friendly match between the Spanish and Egyptian national teams at the Catalan club’s stadium.
Speaking to theSpanish newspaper *Sport*, El Hilali said: “I think everything has been said, and the images are there… I don’t know how many people were involved, but they are certainly a minority, and after that, the necessary action will be taken.”
He added: “But yes, these chants are regrettable, whether against Muslims or Christians… or against all religions. I believe this constitutes a lack of respect for a religion followed by a large number of people, and I repeat: it is a lack of respect for any religion in the world.”
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The young player continued: “It’s very difficult, because there are so many fans, and you’re focused on the match… but if I were in Lamine Yamal’s (the Spanish player’s) shoes, it would certainly bother me… I believe these chants should never happen, and those responsible must be held to account; they are a minority.”
On his view of racism in Spanish stadiums, based on his own experience, El Hilali explained: “I’ve always believed that Spain isn’t a racist country from my personal experience, despite some isolated incidents. You can’t generalise the actions of a few to an entire country.”
The Moroccan star noted that he had been subjected to racist incidents in the past, emphasising his confidence in the legal process by saying: “Until the matter is 100% resolved, I cannot comment further.”
He concluded: “At the end of the day, we are human beings before we are players. We must respect one another, because without respect, football is meaningless.”