Valencia CF has filed a lawsuit against Netflix and the production company behind the documentary Vini Jr., claiming it misrepresented a 2023 incident of alleged racist abuse by home fans at the Mestalla Stadium, damaging the club’s reputation.
The documentary, released on May 15, traces the career of Real Madrid star Vinícius Júnior from his childhood in Brazil to his rise to a global soccer superstar, highlighting incidents of racism he faced. Valencia argues that a scene showing fans shouting “mono” (“monkey” in Spanish) toward Vinícius was misleading; the club says the crowd actually chanted “tonto” (“fool”), with no collective racist intent.
Valencia reportedly requested corrections to the subtitles, but when the production company did not comply, the club filed the suit seeking monetary compensation, corrected subtitles and a public declaration of the court ruling. “Valencia will not tolerate defamation that harms its honor,” the club said in a statement.
The original incident occurred on May 21, 2023, during the 2022/23 season. Vinícius had pointed to a fan who directed racist chants at him, leading to an on-field confrontation with Valencia players and his subsequent red card. Three fans were arrested and permanently banned from the stadium.
Atletico Madrid beats Real Madrid 5-2 in an intense Madrid derby
(Video: Courtesy of ONE)
Real Madrid coach at the time, Carlo Ancelotti, initially blamed the entire crowd for racist behavior but later apologized after learning it involved only three fans. Vinícius, who has faced numerous racist incidents in La Liga, broke down during the match and confronted a fan making monkey gestures toward him. His representatives noted that Vinícius himself is not a party to the lawsuit.
After the match, Vinícius posted on social media: “My sending-off is a reward for racists… This wasn’t the first, second or third time. Racism is normal in La Liga. The league thinks it’s normal; the federation and rivals encourage it… Spain is a beautiful country that welcomed me, but it has a racist reputation.”