Sevilla have called on LaLiga to take action after winger Lucas Ocampos was touched “inappropriately” by a fan during their 2-1 win at Rayo Vallecano, the club said on Tuesday.
The incident occurred 33 minutes into Monday’s match when a fan poked Ocampos on the backside while he was taking a throw-in. The Argentine turned to remonstrate with the young fan before notifying the referee of the incident before the game restarted.
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“We would like to place on record our disgust at the incident,” Sevilla said in a statement.
“Lucas Ocampos was subjected to an obscene and completely inappropriate act by a home fan. We hope that the appropriate measures outlined in the regulations will be taken to prevent such behaviour from happening again on a football field, and we have expressed this to LaLiga directly.”
Rayo Vallecano said in a statement the incident went against their values as a football club and that they were working to identify the fan.
“This isolated action is solely the individual responsibility of the fan who carried it out,” the club said in a statement.
“Rayo Vallecano is currently working to identify the fan so that, if he is a season ticket holder of the club, the appropriate disciplinary measures can be taken in accordance with the internal regulations.”
Ocampos said he wanted the league to treat the incident “as seriously as it takes racism and these things.”
“You can see what happened in the images,” Ocampos told broadcaster DAZN. “I hope La Liga takes it as seriously as it takes racism and these things. I don’t think all the Rayo people are like that because they have always treated us with respect, but there is always one fool.
“I hope it doesn’t happen in other areas, because if this happens in a women’s football match we know what can happen. I kept my calm because I have two daughters, I hope this doesn’t happen to them in the future.
“I hope that the action that has to be taken is taken, and I hope that a fool like this does not stain a set of fans who otherwise behaved very well.”
Information from the Associated Press contributed to this report