Tuchel Reminds England of Racism Protocol Before Madrid, 22 Years After Abuse

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Thomas Tuchel will remind England’s players of the anti-racism protocols before the Nations League game against Spain in Madrid, per The Guardian.
It is England’s first visit to Madrid after the 2004 game, when racist abuse from the stands was aimed at England’s black players at the Bernabeu.
The Spanish federation was fined £44,750 after that night, and England refused to return to Madrid for their next game in Spain, in 2009.

England Go Back to the City Where Their Black Players Were Abused

Thomas Tuchel has a message for his England squad before they walk out in Madrid: know the protocol. England’s head coach will go through UEFA’s anti-racism procedure with the players ahead of Sunday’s Nations League game against Spain at Atletico Madrid’s Metropolitano. Kick-off is 7.45pm GMT. It is England’s first fixture in the Spanish capital after November 2004, when black England players were targeted from the stands at Real Madrid’s Bernabeu. Tuchel says the answer to any abuse belongs on the pitch.

Tuchel said: “We had a same discussion before the Serbia game [in Belgrade in September of last year]. There is a protocol in place. Maybe we take our five minutes to inform the players about the protocol if there is a precedent [in Madrid]. It’s important that the players know about the protocol. And then, yeah, we will give our answers if stuff like this happens. Best answers are on the pitch.”

What the Protocol Says

UEFA’s procedure has three steps. The referee first pauses the match for a public address announcement ordering the behaviour to stop. The second step suspends the game and sends both sets of players off the pitch. The final step is to abandon the match.

Tuchel has been here before. He went through the same discussion with his players before England played Serbia in Belgrade in 2025, and that game passed without incident. He does not expect trouble in Madrid either.

Tuchel added: “I think it’s unacceptable. In any stadium, not even in stadiums, we will never accept racism. We will never be racist towards anyone.”

On the Spanish crowd, he said:

“That’s just not who we are, and that’s why I expect, of course, full support from the Spanish crowd for the Spanish team. We will not expect anything. And I think the referee in the games and the officials know about that.”

The Night in 2004

Spain won 1-0 at the Bernabeu in November 2004, and racist abuse from the stands ruined the occasion. Ashley Cole and Shaun Wright-Phillips faced repeated baiting and monkey chants from large elements of the 60,000 crowd. Rio Ferdinand, Jermaine Jenas and Jermain Defoe were also targeted. Tony Blair, then Prime Minister, and his Spanish counterpart José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero both condemned the abuse. The Spanish federation was fined £44,750.

England have played three games in Spain after that. The Football Association refused to play the first, in 2009, in Madrid, and it was moved to Seville. The others were in Alicante in 2015 and Seville in 2018, and there were no problems at any of the three. Spain have had trouble of their own more recently. In October Spain were fined £15,000 and ordered to play their next friendly with a partial stadium closure after supporters sang a discriminatory chant about Muslims at a match against Egypt in Barcelona in March.

What Happens Next

England face Spain on Sunday at the Metropolitano, Madrid’s other major stadium. Tuchel’s selections have been under scrutiny through this international window, including Phil Foden’s lack of contact with Tuchel.

The squad talk also covered Cole Palmer’s England omission.

Tuchel has confirmed he will talk to the squad before the game. He does not expect trouble, he expects full support for Spain’s own team from the Spanish crowd, and he says England’s answer to abuse will come on the pitch.

WRITTEN BY

George Howson

George Howson is a Futbol Chronicle contributor and accredited journalist with over 20 years of experience following international football. A member of the AIPS International Sports Press Association, George has covered matches at stadiums around the world, bringing deep knowledge and first-hand insight to every match report and analysis he writes.