Spanish referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea has spoken out about what is arguably La Liga’s biggest controversy last season, when Vinicius Junior was racially assaulted for the tenth time at Mestalla. The Brazilian was then sent off by de Burgos Bengoetxea. Spanish referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea has spoken out about what is arguably La Liga’s biggest controversy last season, when Vinicius Junior was racially assaulted for the tenth time at Mestalla. The Brazilian was then sent off by de Burgos Bengoetxea.
Vinicius spotted the perpetrators of racist behavior in the crowd and pointed at them to be cleared away, which caused a melee as the Valencia players tried to steer him away from the crowd. The match was then stopped and the Brazilian insisted on leaving the pitch.
“It was very unpleasant, this type of behavior is very sad and it happens more often. The only thing I wanted was to continue the game and not give importance to this group of people who uttered these insults, show my full support (to Vinicius) and apply the protocols against racism. I did it right and the result was what it was, I hope something like this doesn’t happen again”he told Cadena SER.
He explained that he followed all the protocols established by La Liga.
“Vinicius obviously wanted to leave the pitch and I understand that. I told him to trust me, to try not to decide to leave, that if it happened again we should go back to the locker room for 10-15 minutes. And if it happened a third time, the game would be suspended. I told him that I was going to protect him in any way possible. He trusted me and I did what I could in the best way possible. I did what felt natural to me at all times.”
Vinicius was subsequently sent off for an incident in which he touched the face of one of his opponents. Many didn’t understand why Hugo Duro wasn’t sent off too, as he hit Vinicius in the head at that moment.
De Burgos Bengoetxea has been asked if the Competition Commission overturned the red card given to Vinicius.
“You will forgive me, Yago, but I try to do my job as well as possible, so there are committees that decide and I don’t want to judge their work. It would hurt me if they judged me and it wouldn’t be fair for me to do it with the sanctioning commission. »
