'We support you Mouctar!' - Valencia back Diakhaby after racial abuse

The Valencia squad came out in full support of the defender after he was left visibly upset from an altercation with Cadiz player Cala.

Valencia walked off the pitch during Sunday’s La Liga match against Cadiz after Mouctar Diakhaby claimed Juan Cala had racially abused him.

The incident occurred in the first half when Diakhaby reacted furiously in an altercation with Cadiz defender Cala. The match came to a halt as the two men argued. The referee attempted to break up the dispute before the other players got involved.

Several Valencia players, however, confronted Cala afterward before the entire squad abandoned the pitch to support their teammate.

The club later backed Diakhaby on social media by posting: “WE SUPPORT YOU MOUCTAR.”

We offer our complete backing to @Diakhaby_5

The player, who had received a racial insult, requested that his teammates return to the pitch.

WE SUPPORT YOU MOUCTAR

𝗡𝗢 𝗧𝗢 𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗜𝗦𝗠 ✊🏽✊🏿 pic.twitter.com/iPtPSpdNYv

— Valencia CF 🦇🍊🌊 (@valenciacf_en) April 4, 2021

After around 15 minutes, and some insistence from Diakhaby, Valencia returned to the field to complete the match. They did so, however, without Diakhaby, who was replaced by Hugo Guillamon while Cala remained.

“Diakhaby has told us that they have insulted him and, from Valencia, we condemn that,” said full-back Jose Gaya as quoted on Goal afterward.

“We left the field for that, but they have told us that we had to leave [the dressing room] because if we did not, they could take three points and maybe more from us.

“Diakhaby has told us to come back to the field and that is why we went out. He wanted us to go out. Without his permission, we would not have done it. “

Gaya added: “He was not ready to go out. He is sunk. It is a very ugly insult, I am not going to say it. Cala was the last to go out on the field and did not speak to him.”

Cadiz ultimately won the match 2-1 after Marcos Mauro struck an 88th-minute winner to move within a single point of 12th-placed side Valencia in the league standings in 13th.