Rayo-Albacete game marred by ‘Nazi’ chants to finish behind closed doors

(Reuters) – A Spanish second division match between Rayo Vallecano and Albacete that was abandoned at halftime on Dec. 15 after a player was subjected to ‘Nazi’ chants will resume behind closed doors, the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) said on Friday.

Albacete forward Roman Zozulya was targeted by chants from Rayo supporters, leading the referee to abandon the game, marking the first time in Spanish football history that a match was abandoned due to offensive chanting.

The RFEF’s Competition Committee said in a statement https://cdn1.sefutbol.com/sites/default/files/sanciones/resolucion_rayo-albacete_j_20.pdf that the second half of the match would be played behind closed doors but has not yet set a date.

Rayo were also hit with a two-match partial stadium ban and fined 18,000 euros ($20,075.40) over the incident.

Spanish radio station Cadena Ser reported after the game that Rayo fans sang “Zozulya you are a Nazi” and used offensive language towards the Ukrainian striker, 30, who had a short-lived spell on loan at the Madrid side in February 2017.

At his first and only training session with the club, Zozulya was given an angry reception by Rayo fans, who accused him of belonging to the far-right movement in his home country.

Zozulya, who has denied ever belonging to far-right groups, immediately returned to parent-club Real Betis before signing for Albacete as a free agent in 2017.

(Reporting by Simon Jennings in Bengaluru; Editing by Ken Ferris)