Getafe: La Liga club condemn 'derogatory and intolerant' chants aimed at team
- Published
Getafe are 10th in La Liga after their players battled to a 2-2 draw against Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday
Getafe have condemned "derogatory and intolerant" chants aimed towards their team after Mason Greenwood was targeted by opposition fans.
Loanee striker Greenwood, 21, was reportedly, external met with chants calling for him to die during Wednesday's La Liga match against Athletic Bilbao.
Criminal charges against Greenwood, including attempted rape and assault, were dropped in February.
Greenwood joined Getafe on a season-long loan from Manchester United.
The club said the chants have been "occurring repeatedly" at games but did not mention any players, members of staff, opposing teams or specific incidents in the statement.
"The players and coaches of Getafe are aware of the media impact of playing in the best league in the world," the statement read., external
"But, beyond that, they are people with feelings, who have family and friends who suffer with them and deserve respect."
Greenwood joined Getafe this month after leaving Manchester United by mutual agreement following a six-month internal club investigation.
He was reportedly met with chants from the crowd, external when he made his Getafe debut against Osasuna on 17 September.
Similar chants were also reportedly heard during Wednesday's 2-2 draw against Bilbao when the one-cap England striker made his first start.
The statement read: "Getafe CF wants to express total disapproval of the derogatory and intolerant chants, especially serious insults, which have been occurring repeatedly during the La Liga season and which damage the image and also the morale of our players and coaching staff.
"Insulting chants, out of any civic context, [are being] aggravated with criticism that we respect as freedom of expression from a sporting point of view, but that we do not share when that critical current is attributed with derogatory epithets, insults and disrespect to the members of the staff and coaching staff of Getafe.
"All of this seriously damages the image of our club, the competition and the professionals who make it up.
"Getafe CF are against violence, racism, xenophobia and intolerance in sport."