Moroccan defender Omar El Hilali racially abused in Spain

Concerns over racism in European football have once again taken centre stage after Moroccan defender Omar El Hilali alleged he was subjected to racist abuse during a Spanish league fixture on Sunday.

The broader debate around discrimination in stadiums has intensified in recent years, with several high-profile cases drawing attention across the continent.

One of the most notable incidents involved Vinícius Júnior, whose complaint against a Benfica player remains under review by UEFA following remarks allegedly made during a Champions League play-off encounter that ended 1-0 in favour of Real Madrid CF.

The latest controversy unfolded in La Liga during the meeting between Elche CF and RCD Espanyol. According to reports from Mundo Deportivo, El Hilali, 22, approached the referee in the 78th minute to report alleged abusive comments from Elche striker Rafa Mir.

In response to the complaint, La Liga’s anti-racism protocol was immediately triggered, resulting in a brief suspension of play that lasted three minutes. The match eventually concluded in a 2-2 draw.

Mundo Deportivo stated that El Hilali informed the referee that Rafa Mir had told him: “I came in a small boat.”

The referee later documented the matter in his official report, writing: “In the 78th minute, Omar El Helali, Espanyol player number 23, informed me that Rafael Mir Vicente, Elche player number 10, addressed him saying: ‘You came in a small boat,’ a phrase that none of the refereeing staff heard. Accordingly, I activated the anti-racism protocol, which led to the match being stopped for 3 minutes.”

The Spanish outlet added that the case will now be reviewed by the disciplinary committee, with a decision expected next Wednesday.