Real Madrid's coach Carlo Ancelotti addressed concerns about defender Raul Asencio being targeted by hostile chants during Wednesday's Copa del Rey match at Real Sociedad.
Real Madrid secured a 1-0 victory in the semi-final first leg with Endrick scoring the decisive goal. The match was temporarily halted when home fans chanted "Asencio die."
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! The 22-year-old center-back has faced similar chants at various venues in recent weeks. This marked the first instance where a match was stopped due to these chants.
Asencio is currently under investigation by Spanish authorities regarding allegations of sharing inappropriate content involving a minor, recorded by former Real Madrid youth players.
The game was paused just before half-time after Vinicius brought the chants against Asencio to the referee's attention.
"Vinicius spoke to the referee, the referee stopped the game, he applied the protocol, that was what had to happen," Ancelotti told reporters.
Ancelotti substituted Asencio with Lucas Vazquez at half-time.
"I took him off because of two things, he was affected, and he had a yellow card, so I preferred to take him off," explained Ancelotti.
"I think nobody likes that a stadium chants for you to die, I think he was affected in that sense."
"He wasn't exactly happy, I preferred to take him off in case how he was feeling could affect the game."
Real Sociedad forward Mikel Oyarzabal added: "The insults should be condemned, we don't like them... there are other ways to condemn the actions that others may have committed. We don't think this is the right way."
During the stoppage, social media footage emerged showing a Real Sociedad supporter allegedly making racist gestures toward Vinicius Junior.
The Spanish and European champions have gained an advantage in the tie before the return leg at their Santiago Bernabeu stadium on April 1.
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