Sunday’s La Liga match between Elche and Espanyol was paused for three minutes after Omar El Hilali reported that Rafa Mir made a racist comment. The referee, Iosu Galech Apezteguia, followed UEFA’s racism protocol, halting the game in the 78th minute and noting the incident in his report.
La Liga condemned all forms of racism, while Elche called for caution pending evidence. The game ended 2-2, with Mir scoring a 90th-minute penalty. Espanyol showed support for El Hilali on social media.
The racism protocol was also used in the Champions League when Vinicius Jr accused Gianluca Prestianni of racial abuse. Vinicius has faced multiple racist incidents in Spain, including in a 2022 match against Real Valladolid, which led to five people receiving suspended prison sentences in May 2025.
