Simeone, after the racist shouts at Nico Williams in the Metropolitano: "It is a social problem, not the stadium"

In a distressing incident during the 36th minute of the match, Nico Williams was subjected to racist abuse from the crowd. Despite the disgraceful behavior, Nico remained composed and focused on the game, stating that there is an ongoing battle against racism both within and outside of football.

Teammates and opponents alike came together in solidarity, with Griezmann and Giménez urging the crowd to stop the offensive chants. A plea was made over the public address system to halt the racist and offensive behavior, resulting in a brief pause before the game resumed.

In a remarkable display of karma, just minutes after the incident, Nico scored a goal to level the score. In his celebration, he pointed to his arm, emphasizing that it is unacceptable to be targeted because of one’s skin color.

Nico’s brother, Iñaki, also expressed his indignation, condemning the monkey chants and highlighting that it has no place in football or society. He emphasized that the focus should be on condemning the perpetrators rather than blaming the victim.

The captain of Athletic Bilbao, Iker Muniain, showed his support for Nico by discussing the incident with him. In a graceful act, Nico left the field without stepping on the Atlético shield.

While Athletic Bilbao couldn’t secure a victory in the match, the incident highlighted a wider societal issue that continues to plague football stadiums. Diego Simeone acknowledged that it is a social problem that needs to be addressed beyond the confines of the stadium.

Ernesto Valverde, the Bilbao coach, described the incident as regrettable and emphasized that it should never happen to any player. He attributed it to a problem of “education” and warned that it is not exclusive to a single stadium.

Koke Resurreción, captain of Atlético Madrid, voiced his support for Nico and condemned the incident of racism. He expressed that such situations have no place in football or society, and called for an end to all forms of abuse on the field.

Koke’s message extended beyond racism, highlighting the need to address all forms of verbal abuse that players endure. He specifically mentioned the vile insults directed at his teammate Álvaro Morata. Koke emphasized that it is time to put an end to these derogatory acts and stand against them.