De la Fuente denies racism in Spain as Tuchel clarifies protocol briefing

Spain coach Luis de la Fuente has claimed there is no racism in Spain after being asked about England's plans to remind players of anti-discrimination procedures. BBC Sport reported the exchange on Saturday, alongside Thomas Tuchel's clarification that he was explaining the response to a possible incident, not predicting one during England's visit to Madrid.

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De la Fuente rejected the suggestion that Tuchel's planned briefing indicated further work was needed to address racism in Spanish football. Tuchel, speaking at his own news conference, said his earlier remarks had been answers to hypothetical questions. He expressed confidence in a welcoming atmosphere, while acknowledging that the crowd would support Spain.

England midfielder Declan Rice also addressed the issue, according to BBC Sport. He recalled experiences in Montenegro and Bulgaria and said the squad understood the procedures available to it. Rice condemned the continuing presence of racism in football and said abuse directed at a player from either team would damage the game.

In its earlier report on Tuchel's briefing plans, the BBC noted that England had not played in the Spanish capital since the 2004 match at the Bernabeu, when England players were subjected to racist chanting. Tuchel said a similar discussion had taken place before England's visit to Serbia in September 2025 and emphasised the importance of players knowing the protocol.

The same report said the Spanish federation was fined last month following Islamophobic and xenophobic chanting about Muslims during a match against Egypt. It was also ordered to stage its next friendly with part of the stadium closed. Those sanctions form part of the reported background to the questions put to the two national-team coaches.

UEFA's procedure has three stages, the BBC explained. Initially, the referee stops play and requests a stadium announcement. Continued discrimination can lead to a five-to-ten-minute interruption, with players taken off the field. If the behaviour persists after that second stoppage, abandonment is possible. The procedure therefore provides escalating responses rather than requiring officials to abandon a match at the first incident.