|
Barca beat Zaragoza amidst another racism controversy
(AFP)
Updated: 2006-02-26 11:13 MADRID (AFP) - Barcelona beat
Real Zaragoza 2-0 to stay comfortably at the top of the Spanish league but their
victory was overshadowed by the appalling racist abuse of Samuel Eto'o.
The three-time African Player of the Year and Spanish first division's
leading scorer had suffered throughout the game with Zaragoza supporters
attacking him but after 76 minutes he decided that they had gone too far.
Eto'o started to leave the field, telling the referee why he was walking to
the sidelines, and was only persuaded to carry on playing by his team mate
Ronaldinho and Zaragoza's Ewerthon, both black Brazilians.
The incident was an alarming repetition of what happened 12 months ago when
Barca visited Zaragoza.
On that occasion, Eto'o responded to the moronic monkey chants from the home
crowd by celebrating a goal with a monkey-style imitation.
"If they want to treat me like a monkey then I'll dance like one," said Eto'o
at the time.
Barcelona showed that they were not to be intimidated by scoring two late
goals to avenge their 4-2 defeat at Zaragoza in the Spanish Cup last month.
Ronaldinho broke the deadlock with a penalty after 80 minutes, after an
Edmilson shot had been pushed over the bar by Zaragoza midfielder and former
Barca player Albert Celedes.
Celedes was also sent off for deliberately handling the ball.
Henrik Larsson then added Barcelona's second two minutes later to provide a
well deserved victory.
The win gives Barcelona a nine point advantage over their nearest rivals
Valencia, although the 2004 champions have a game in hand and play host to
Getafe on Sunday.
By contrast, Zaragoza can expect a heft fine, at the very least, for the
latest outbreak of racism, which continues to tarnish Spanish football.
Real Madrid lie one place and one point behind Valencia in third and travel
to Real Mallorca on Sunday.
|
