Race row fails to stir up Spanish media

The majority of the Spanish press have chosen to turn a blind eye to the racist abuse dished out to England players during the friendly in Madrid on Wednesday night.

The country’s leading publications opted to concentrate instead on Spain’s fine performance in the 1-0 win over Sven-Goran Eriksson’s side at the Bernabeu.

The home side’s impressive display was overshadowed for blighted by the chants aimed in particular at England’s Shaun Wright-Phillips and Ashley Cole.

Despite the furore, Marca, Spain’s leading sports newspaper, insisted the subject had spiralled out of control and accused the English FA of fanning the flames.

One of their columnists, Miguel Angel Mendez, wrote: “At the under-21s there were songs and racist chants towards the England team’s black players? I repeat that is a lie.

“There were insults but not because someone is black, white, green or blue. That happens every weekend in every ground throughout the world.

“If you want to look at some bad behaviour, look at the England fans who arrived totally drunk. Are we going to say all England fans are drunks?”

Marca gave more column inches to the actions of Wayne Rooney – the young England striker who was taken off by Eriksson shortly before half-time after a series of reckless challenges saw him threatened with a red card.

“Rooney went mad,” Marca said.

Although Diario AS printed quotes from England captain and Real Madrid midfielder David Beckham which expressed his disgust at the chants, the paper only dedicated four lines to the subject in a paragraph which also mentioned “various incidents between Madrid ultras and England fans”.

Barcelona-based paper El Mundo Deportivo does not even mention the issue, preferring to focus on the excellent performance by Barca midfielder Xavi.

The only measured assessment of the racist abuse came in El Pais – Spain’s most liberal paper.

Their experienced columnist Santiago Segurola was scathing in his criticism of the crowd’s behaviour and the Spanish FA.

“The English FA have protested to UEFA and FIFA over the events and they have done well to do so,” added Segurola, who was less impressed with his own country’s response.

“As usual the Spanish FA’s reply has been disappointing. Someone should moderate Luis Aragones or we will have more damaging conflicts. This is a case that has damaged the image of Spanish football.”

El Pais’ more right-wing competitor La Razon takes a different view, briefly mentioning the racist chanting saying it was “the perfect excuse to continue the war between the English press and the Spain coach”.