Atletico Madrid to appeal partial stadium ban after Williams allegedly racially abused

Atletico Madrid will appeal to the Appeals Committee of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) against the partial closure of the Civitas Metropolitano for the next two La Liga matches, against Celta and Osasuna, for the alleged racist abuse of Nico Williams in last Saturday's match against Athletic, according to 'EFE' sources at the club, who said that the club has done everything possible to prevent this type of act.

On Tuesday, the RFEF Disciplinary Committee imposed this sanction on the Madrid club, in addition to a fine of 20,000 euros for violent, racist, xenophobic and intolerant behaviour, and urged them to identify before 12 noon on Friday "the structure of the stands to determine the area of the stadium to be closed, which, according to the referee's report, would affect the sector located in the south end of the pitch".

Atletico, club sources told 'EFE', have 10 days to present their appeal to the Appeals Body. The Madrid side's next match at their stadium, the first to be affected by the partial closure of the south end of the pitch, is in 12 days' time, on 12th May against Celta.

The other game under this ban is against Osasuna, on the penultimate matchday, 18th or 19th May, still to be determined.

Atletico are convinced that the club has done everything possible to prevent acts of this type in their stadium; they recalled that a message was broadcast over the public address system against such behaviour in last Saturday's game against Athletic, when "a sound imitating a monkey “UH UH” was heard from the south stand" when Nico Williams was about to take a corner; and that the club condemned this racist behaviour both at half-time and at the end of the game.

In addition, the 'Colchoneros' explained that they have collaborated from the very first moment with the police, providing all the means available at the stadium, such as images, to quickly identify the fan who uttered the insult to Nico Williams.

They also insisted that, as soon as the security forces inform them of his identity, this fan, if he is a member or season ticket holder of the club, will be suspended as a precautionary measure and indefinitely until there is a judicial resolution and, if he is found guilty, the suspension will be permanent.

Likewise, Atletico understands that, with this partial closure of the stadium, the action of a single individual represents a punishment for thousands of fans.