Thread by @Millar_Colin

Valencia players have walked off the pitch against Cádiz due to what appears to be an alleged racist comment against defender Mouctar Diakhaby.

The comment and argument was sparked by a comment from Cádiz's Juan Cala. Cádiz players have now also exited the pitch. Game postponed in the 36th minute.

Valencia players all instantly showed solidarity with Diakhaby by walking off the pitch.

This is the incident. Diakhaby visibly enraged following Juan Cala comment and walked off the pitch, followed by all his teammates. Game remains postponed.

Looks like game will be restarting without Diakhaby. This is not a good look.

Game is now restarting. Diakhaby, who appears to have suffered racist abuse, is substituted off. Juan Cala, who made the alleged comment, stays on the pitch.

Valencia reaffirming players are against racism. Unfortunately, the victim of racist abuse is not continuing to play in this game.

https://twitter.com/valenciacf/status/1378759983467233281?s=19

As you can imagine, very little information being communicated via La Liga channels. Big questions will now be asked as to whether Valencia players decided to restart the game of their own free will (and what message that sends) or if they were pressured into it.

Let's be brutally honest about this: a match carrying on without the victim of alleged racist abuse, whilst the individual who made the comment remains on, is an absolutely terrible look. Quite rightfully lots of anger. The victim is punished, but the show must go on.

The image of Valencia players walking off in support of Diakhaby was a powerful one. Zero tolerance of racism and full support of its victims.

Re-entering the pitch minutes later totally reverses that image and it's subsequent messaging.

This is a very, very sad moment.

Valencia are communicating that Diakhaby wanted his teammates to play on without him. Spanish radio station Cadena Cope reporting that Valencia were told they would have to forfeit the game if they did not re-enter as referee heard no insult and Juan Cala denied the claim.

Here's the Cope report. Claims that Valencia players returned to the pitch as they thought they would be punished for failing to complete the game...

https://twitter.com/tjcope/status/1378763426130956298?s=19

Half time. The camera goes to Mouctar Diakhaby in the stands, looking absolutely distraught.

Today was the day for Valencia, Cádiz and La Liga to determine that racism is absolutely unacceptable and to send out a powerful statement. Instead, another message is communicated.

Last season, the referee suspended Rayo Vallecano against Albacete as the Rayo fans were calling Roman Zozulya a Neo-Nazi. The first and only time when Spanish football authorities have suspended a match for abuse to a player. Worth remembering that today.

Juan Cala, the player who allegedly racially abused Diakhaby, has now been substituted off at half time by Cádiz.

Cala and Diakhaby both received yellow cards in the incident.

This season, we have had high profile racism allegations in PSG v Marseille (from each team), PSG-Basaksehir, Rangers-Slavia and Cádiz-Valencia. And booing of players taking a knee in England. Football reflects society, but it must ask itself questions too. It is depressing.

Juan Cala strenuously denying the allegations. Cádiz - who are absolutely a club with a societal conscience and are more active than most on these issues - are working together on a response.

https://twitter.com/carrusel/status/1378769971271073804?s=19

In terms of the outcome game, which feels totally irrelevant - Marcos Mauro, the substitute for Juan Cala at half-time, scores in the 88th minute to give Cádiz a 2-1 lead.

Confirmation from Valencia captain Gaya that the club were threatened with punishment by football authorities if they did not re-enter pitch after abuse of Diakhaby. There you have it. A horrible, dark day for Spanish football.

https://twitter.com/TomAllnuttAFP/status/1378784390415851521?s=19

This raises the hypothetical scenario: Valencia players don't re-enter the pitch. Game is called off. What do La Liga authorities do? Punish them with the defeat? Then give an extra punishment? Could have called their bluff. Could have been a catastrophic PR disaster.

Valencia boss Javi Gracia has now given more info:

"Diakhaby said to us that he was not in the proper state of mind to continue to play, but he understood that we had to go back on the pitch to avoid some sort of punishment."

Sorry to indulge this nonsense in the thread but it is important. Nobody has been "sentenced". The facts have been documented and those who have been visibly shaken by abuse deserve full support, not punishment. They should never, ever stand alone.

https://twitter.com/_Milos_kn/status/1378792858354847744?s=19

Extremely well-connected journalists now reporting that it was the referee who informed Valencia players that if they did not return to the pitch, they would forfeit the game, and potentially be handed further punishment.

https://twitter.com/DepCOPEValencia/status/1378793262975221762?s=19

Now becoming clearer and clearer - both through Valencia captain & manager comments, alongside media reports - that Valencia returned to the pitch because they were intimidated into doing so by football authorities, not because of Diakhaby's insistence, as per earlier statement.

This mess continues to drag on. Referee's report has no suggestion that he had any involvement in decision or conversation to resume game. Claims that delegates of both club's informed him of their decision. Nobody wants to take any responsibility.

https://twitter.com/ODValencia/status/1378807553396727813?s=19

Valencia are totally contradicting this with a really strongly-worded club statement. They say they were "forced" into re-entering the pitch with the "threat" being outlined by the referee.

https://twitter.com/carrusel/status/1378809376153206786?s=19

Marca with a powerful front page dedicated to Mouctar Diakhaby. "You are not alone." It calls the episode an "intolerable racist incident".

https://twitter.com/marca/status/1378822641763680259

Still no official comment or acknowledgment from La Liga that this episode occurred. How easy would it have been to send out a strongly-worded anti-racism message and stay on top of the incident, but no. Radio silence.

Juan Cala, the Cádiz player who is alleged (using this word as there does not appear to be any video evidence that has come to light) to have racially abused Mouctar Diakhaby: "In this country, it seems like we no longer have the presumption of innocence."

https://twitter.com/DeportesCuatro/status/1379010154998415365?s=19

This morning, Valencia president Anil Murthy held talks with La Liga and is pushing for clarification on what happened and a future protocol for similar incidents.

Officials at Valencia are concerned by Mouctar Diakhaby's state of mind following the episode, say @RadioMARCA.

🚨🚨 NEW: La Liga president Javier Tebas: "We have carried out an internal investigation procedure. It is clear from the reaction of the Valencia player (Mouctar Diakhaby) that something has happened. From La Liga we condemn any act of racism and we will act against it."

More strong words, this time from Valencia president Anil Murthy, who has given an interview with Diakhaby at his side.

"Even if (Cadiz player) Juan Cala denies it, we all know how to recognise a guilty face. Everyone who watched TV yesterday was able to watch it."

https://twitter.com/valenciacf/status/1379058792881659910

This account presents audio footage - taken from La Liga TV coverage, via Premier Sports video - in which a racist insult can be heard in an exchange between Cala and Diakhaby. (important to note that this audio has not yet been verified.)

https://twitter.com/VCForever_/status/1379065161647030280

I've re-watched this footage, and the racial insult appears to be picked up by TV microphones.

At 0:08, we hear "Arbitro!" (referee)
At 0:12, we appear to hear "negro de mierda" - the racist insult.

Turn it up full volume and listen.

https://twitter.com/Millar_Colin/status/1378758572637614083

Mouctar Diakhaby once again confirms the racist insult and reveals: "A Cádiz player asked us if he (Juan Cala) asked me for his forgiveness whether I would continue playing. We said no."

https://twitter.com/Diakhaby_5/status/1379371634017112066?s=19

Cádiz player Juan Cala now giving his press conference. Keeps repeating that there is absolutely no racism in Spanish football. Denies all allegations. Calls the situation a "circus" and claims he is the victim of a "public lynching".

Juan Cala seemingly denying he said anything to Diakhaby at all other than "leave me alone". Does not appear to be suggesting he used any other sort of insult or slur, or that there was any reasonable possibility of misinterpretation.

Juan Cala now saying he has received messages of support from "all races" including "Chinese, Africans and persons of colour." He adds that he has many black friends and former teammates...

Cala also claiming he is commencing legal action against anyone who has slandered him publicly.

Yes, Juan Cala using the term "public lynching" about a white person being accused of racism is quite an extraordinary choice of words. Unless there is linguistic nuance that I'm missing - the quote in Spanish equals that meaning of English.

Cala has continually referred to himself as the victim of a "public lynching", which he claims again before offering his phone number so that those who have "slandered my image" can apologise.

Juan Cala now insisting he will not get in touch with Mouctar Diakhaby because "I have been charged from the beginning" and claims he is not ruling out taking legal action against Diakhaby.

Juan Cala insisting that he is "supportive of the fight against racism" whilst also claiming, repeatedly, that there is no racism in Spanish football. Regardless of what happened on Sunday, those claims may be seen as somewhat contradictory...

The tone of Juan Cala in this press conference is strikingly (in my opinion) quite aggressive, certainly not in the mood for being conciliatory. He is going on the offensive and openly speaking of legal action against those who have defamed him.

Alasdair here with some more insight on the accuracy of the translation of "lynching".

https://twitter.com/alinalmeria/status/1379388913937186819

Juan Cala's press conference concludes.
Summary:
- He insists he is innocent.
- Claims this has set a "dangerous precedent".
- Claims he is victim of "public lynching/witch hunt"
- Will not contact Valencia's Diakhaby
- Threatens to sue Diakhaby and anyone who has defamed him.

Not sure who the journalist in question was, but Juan Cala was asked during the press conference: "Do you think a foreign player will, as he loses the game, use this craftiness?"

That is...a deeply, deeply unhelpful question.

One of the stranger lines from Juan Cala was recalling the time he visitied Equatorial Guinea with Frédéric Kanouté
and Benjamín Zarandona (who both played in Seville when Cala did) as a character reference against potential racism.