Hansi Flick and Diego Simeone back Lamine Yamal, Alvaro Arbeloa defends Spain

Ever the company man, Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa may have got himself in trouble with comments about Lamine Yamal.

Arbeloa was back in front of the media as LaLiga returns, and was asked about one of the biggest stories of the international break.

Spain’s 0-0 draw with Egypt at Espanyol’s RCDE Stadium was tainted by chants against Muslims, something Barcelona’s Lamine spoke out against.

Yet rather than defend the player, Arbeloa opted for another explanation.

“Spain is not a racist country,” he said in response. “If it were, we would have a problem every weekend in every stadium.

“We must eradicate any kind of racist attitude in stadiums and in society. I will continue to defend and believe this, whoever it may be and wherever it may be.

“Spain, as a country, must continue fighting to eradicate these kinds of attitudes.

“We are a great, very tolerant country. We shouldn’t generalise, but we must continue the same fight and keep eradicating these kinds of attitudes from every stadium and from Spanish society.”

Simeone and Flick have their say

Taking the question the way it was intended was Atletico Madrid’s Diego Simeone, who faces Barca this weekend.

“It’s a societal problem,” he said.

“Respect that was lost several years ago, respect we had for parents, teachers, the police, the general manager of a club, the coach, the presidents… It’s gone.

“We all have to work with faith and believing in God, knowing that the way forward is to believe that things can improve.”

Barca’s Hansi Flick took a similar tone, saying: “Lamine made a great statement.

“It’s something (racism) that happens every day in football, on and off the pitch. You see things like this often, and a small number of idiots don’t understand.

“It’s time to reflect on this, because the world of football doesn’t want racism in its environment, not now, not ever.

“We are against racism, but we experience it every day. We all need to stand together, and we all want to be respected regardless of our race or religion. It’s time to change these mindsets.”