During the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinals, Real Sociedad fans directed disturbing chants at Real Madrid defender Raúl Asencio, as reported by the match referee. The referee, José María Sánchez Martínez, halted the game briefly in the 46th minute after fans chanted 'Die, Asencio.' An announcement was made over the stadium loudspeakers and video screens to cease the insults.
Madrid captain Vinícius Júnior informed the referee about the derogatory chants aimed at Asencio, leading to the intervention. The referee noted that the chants ceased following the announcement, which condemned the behavior of the fans.
Additionally, Spanish media captured images of a Sociedad fan making offensive gestures towards Vinícius, who has previously faced racist abuse in Spain. Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti decided to substitute Asencio with Lucas Vázquez after the interruption, citing the negative impact of the chants on Asencio's morale and performance.
Asencio is currently under investigation in Spain for allegedly sharing a sex video without consent, adding a controversial dimension to the incident. Sociedad player Mikel Oyarzabal expressed disapproval of the fans' actions, emphasizing that there are more appropriate ways to address concerns about an individual's behavior.
In the match itself, Madrid emerged victorious with a 1-0 win courtesy of a first-half goal by forward Endrick. The return leg is scheduled to take place at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in April, setting the stage for a tense rematch between the two teams.
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