Vinicius Jr’s Real Madrid team-mate Dani Carvajal insists Spain is ‘not a racist country’… after the Brazilian broke down in tears when speaking about the abuse he has received

Dani Carvajal has declared that Spain is ‘not a racist country’ despite a series of incidents involving Real Madrid team-mate Vinicius Jr.

Vinicius and Brazil will meet Carvajal and Spain in an international friendly at the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday night.

Speaking ahead of tonight’s game, Vinicius broke down in tears when asked why he thought he was singled out for racist abuse.

Carvajal in his own press conference insisted Spain is not racist but believes that any abusers should not be allowed inside football stadiums

‘I don’t believe that Spain is a racist country, we have a very high level of integration,’ the full-back told the media. 

‘I come from a humble neighbourhood in Leganes, I grew up with kids from many nationalities without any problem, I have friends with different skin colours.  

‘Unfortunately, there are people who go to football matches to release their anger and rage. It’s a shame. 

‘Hopefully, those kinds of people won’t be able to enter stadiums because it’s the ugliest thing you see in sports.’

Last May the player was racially abused by supporters at Valencia’s Mestalla stadium and the club gave life bans to three of its fans.

La Liga has reported various incidents of racist abuse aimed at black players in Spain but they have no jurisdiction to take action against clubs or individuals and no one has yet been successfully prosecuted for racist chanting in stadiums.

This season there were reports of more racist abuse towards Vinicius as Real played at Sevilla in October, at Barcelona the following week and at Valencia earlier this month. 

Prosecutors have requested four-year prison sentences for individuals arrested last year for hanging an effigy of the player off a bridge in Madrid before a Spanish cup clash with city rivals Atletico.

The Madrid star was asked on Monday why he thought he was singled out for racist abuse and he said: ‘It’s something very sad that happens in every match of mine. It’s not just me and it’s not just in Spain, it’s all over the world.

‘I receive a lot of insults while the racist is free; he is not punished. Every day that goes by I feel more and more sad about it. But I struggle on because they have picked on me.

‘I fight so that in the near future it won’t happen to anyone else.’

Vinicius began to cry as he added: ‘Sometimes I have less and less desire to play but I want to keep fighting.’

Asked if he had considered leaving Spain, Vinicius added: ‘I’ve never thought much about leaving because if I leave here, I am going to give the racists what they want.’

Vinicius is Brazil’s star player and Carvajal, who knows him very well from training with him every day at Real Madrid, knows Spain will have to come up with a plan to stop him in their friendly on Tuesday.

Carvajal said: ‘Against a player of that caliber, it’s difficult to have clear instructions. With that talent, he is capable of dribbling past anyone. We have to try to stay close to him, not leave spaces, and get help.’