Spanish coach Aragones faces racist claims

The president of the Spanish Football Federation has leapt to the defence of Luis Aragones and insisted the national team coach is not racist after he made remarks about Thierry Henry.

The president of the Spanish Football Federation has leapt to the defence of Luis Aragones and insisted the national team coach is not racist.

Angel Maria Villar was responding to allegations that Aragones made racist remarks about Arsenal striker Thierry Henry.

Aragones was apparently trying to motivate Henry’s Arsenal team-mate Jose Reyes during a training session ahead of Spain’s World Cup qualifier against Belgium when the incident occurred.

The Spain boss is alleged to have referred to Henry using racist language and told Reyes that he was the better player of the two.

But Villar said: “As president of the Spanish Football Federation, I wish to point out that Luis Aragones is no racist. He is a great professional and it is absurd to think otherwise.

“He has coached many foreign and coloured players in his time and he has always been correct and respectful.

“I think the reported comments said during training have been taken completely out of context and it is disappointing to see that he has been involved in such a controversial incident.”

Aragones insisted that his words were not meant to cause offence. “I am not a racist, I consider myself a citizen of the world and I have many coloured friends,” he said.

He added in Spanish newspaper Marca: “I don’t think anyone takes these comments seriously because I never intended to insult or disrespect anyone. I had no intention to hurt anybody. I think I made a comment to Reyes to motivate him.

“I need to take care of my players and to find a way to get the best out of them.”

Reyes also tried to play the incident down, adding: “I know when he is joking and when he isn’t. He was shouting and also speaking to me in a low voice, so I can tell you he was joking.”