Brother Cholito Simeone – New case of alleged racism in Spanish football, this time in the Segunda Federación. The protagonist is Gianluca Simeone, son of the Atletico Madrid coach and brother of the strikers Giovanni (Napoli) and Giuliano (Atletico Madrid), who ended up at the center of a controversy during the match between his Rayo Majadahonda and Guadalajara.
In the 95th minute of the match, Guadalajara player Julio Rafael Martínez Escó reported receiving racist insults from the young Simeone, forcing the referee to stop the game and activate the anti-racism protocol. However, in the absence of direct witnesses among the refereeing trio, no disciplinary measures were taken against the 26-year-old Argentine.
Simeone promptly rejected the accusations through his Instagram profile: “After reading the referee's report of the match played in Guadalajara with my club, Rayo Majadahonda, I want to clarify that the accusations that an opponent has made against me are absolutely false and that at no time did I utter racist words or insults to anyone.”
The matter was further complicated by another accusation from Pablo Rojo, a player from Guadalajara, who reported unsportsmanlike conduct by Simeone, accusing him of touching his private parts during a set piece action. The case attracted the attention of the Spanish media, also considering the prestigious surname of the protagonist, son of “Cholo” Simeon, current coach of Atletico Madrid.
Article published on November 4, 2024 - 11:12
