LaLiga to investigate FOURTEEN chants by Espanyol fans during last week’s Catalan derby with Barcelona, including homophobic abuse aimed at Gerard Pique, with defender called a ‘f****t’
LaLiga are investigating reports Gerard Pique was subject to homophobic chants during last week’s Barcelona derby at the RCDE Stadium.
According to Spanish outlet Marca, the weekly report issued by LaLiga to the RFEF Competition Committee and the Anti-Violence Commission on prohibited and punishable behaviour highlighted three separate chants that could land Espanyol in hot waters with the authorities.
The three chants got aired a combined 14 times during Sunday’s 2-2 draw, the report added.
Gerard Pique was reportedly subject to homophobic chants in last week’s Barcelona derby
The chant aimed at Pique, which according to the report was sung four times on Sunday, contained homophobic language and insults to him and his wife, the pop-star Shakira.
‘Pique, you b*****d, Shakira has a d**k. Your son is Wakaso’s, and you are a f****t,’ Espanyol fans are alleged to have sang.
The Wakaso referenced in the chant is Ghanian midfielder Mubarak Wakaso, who played for Espanyol in the 2012-13 season before a largely forgettable five-match spell at Celtic two years later.
Pique has been subject to the same chant for several years now and Espanyol were reported to LaLiga for a similar incident at least four times over the past six seasons.
The Barcelona defender was sent off after tangling with Nico Melamed, who also saw red
The 35-year-old has been persona non grata among Espanyol fans for years now
The 35-year-old has long been persona non grata among Espanyol fans and has previously fired verbal volleys of his own.
Speaking in January 2016 after the second meeting between the two Catalan rivals in the space of 10 days, Pique mocked Espanyol fans for failing to fill their ground against Barcelona.
‘They call themselves the “marvellous minority”, and they’re in such a minority that they can’t even fill their ground,’ he said after Barca beat Espanyol 4-1 in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final.
‘Let’s see whether they manage to fill it for the return leg, because the other day [in the league meeting] it wasn’t full.’
On Sunday, Pique was sent off in injury time after he tangled twice off the ball with Nico Melamed, with both players earning a second yellow cards in the process.
Luuk de Jong rescued a point for Barcelona with a 96th minute equaliser, before Espanyol ended the game with nine men as Manu Morlanes was sent off a minute later.
