Spain striker Aspas accused of racist abuse

“In front of the cameras I want to make a complaint, I don’t think these acts of racism should happen, I think Aspas called me a ‘black shit’ and that cannot happen,” Lerma told beIN Sports after Sunday’s game, which Celta won 1-0.

Lerma also claimed that he reported the incident to the match referee, but that he paid no attention.

“It is not up to me to be the judge, but this has affected me and it cannot happen,” added the 23-year-old Colombian international.

Levante have stood up for Lerma, saying in a tweet that they “want to give full backing to the player and reject any expression of racism in football.”

However, Aspas has denied the accusation in a statement published on Celta’s website.

“What is said on the field, stays on the field. That is why I am not going to repeat what he said to me. In any case, I did not call him what he says I called him,” said Aspas, who played for Liverpool in 2013-14 before being loaned to Sevilla and then returning to his first club Celta.