Getafe's Nigerian midfielder Christantus Uche has criticised LaLiga referees for failing to address the harsh treatment he has received from opposing players and has denounced racist abuse he claims he has received from fans.
Uche, 21, is in his first season in La Liga after joining from lower-division Ceuta and accused referees of not treating him equally to other players.
“In the first two or three games, I saw it with my own eyes, the referees are very bad, very bad,” he told ESPN earlier this week. “They kick me, the referee just says I have to get up. No, it's a foul, you have to blow the whistle.”
“But if someone else gets kicked, the referee just blows the whistle. And it's so painful, you can't do anything, you have no power because the referee has the power to do whatever he wants.
“No, he has to stop it. I'll fall down, I'll get kicked and I'll fall down in front of the referee and the referee won't do anything. No, it's not right.”
And he added: “Racism is not good, we must end it. Everyone is equal, everyone is equal.”
Nigerian midfielder Christantus Uche talks about his experience playing in Spain 🗣️ photo.twitter.com/4lcCtJl2sx
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Uche also spoke out about the racist abuse he has received from fans, something that has been a frequent problem in Spanish stadiums.
“Both fans, some of them, will hail you as 'fucking nigger', as 'black this, this, that'. No, that's not good. That's not good.”
Vinícius Júnior has faced frequent racist abuse from opposition fans, and three men were jailed in June over an incident in Valencia in the first guilty verdict of its kind in the country.
Last month, the Brazilian suggested that Spain could lose the right to host matches at the 2030 World Cup if the situation does not improve.
“I hope Spain can evolve and understand how serious it is to insult someone because of the colour of their skin,” he told CNN. “If by 2030 things don't improve, I think we have to change the venue, because if a player doesn't feel comfortable and safe playing in a country where he can suffer racism, it's a bit difficult.”
Despite some of his negative experiences, Uche said he was still happy about the opportunity to play in Spain's top division.
“I feel great about the opportunity to play at this level, in La Liga,” he said. “I'm trying to give my best to show that I have the quality to play here. Playing against Barcelona and Real Madrid is a dream come true, I'm very happy to be here.”
