Cesc Fabregas has hit back at the Football Association for asking to move England's friendly against Spain on the grounds of racism.
The game was scheduled to be played on Feb 11 at Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu, but the FA cited racism problems four years ago at the same stadium as grounds enough to move the match to a different venue.
Fifa fined the Spanish federation 100,000 Swiss francs (£45,000) after England's Shaun Wright-Phillips, Ashley Cole, Rio Ferdinand, Jermain Defoe and Jermaine Jenas were racially abused on England's last visit in 2004.
But the 21-year-old Arsenal midfielder does not think England as a whole sees the Spanish as racists.
"I don't know if racism is the word," said Fabregas, who has won 35 caps for Spain. "I had not yet broken into the Spanish team for that game four years ago, but a good friend and teammate of mine, Cole, played with England and he felt hurt.
"The players may have returned to England annoyed, but I do not think we have got to the point where Spaniards are viewed as racists. I don't think we are – it is a bit extreme.
"It is necessary to reduce the importance of this charge because in football the fans are always going to support the team and be behind us."
Fabio Capello and Rio Ferdinand have already said they would be happy to play England's friendly at the Bernabeu.
England defender Ferdinand, who is preparing for their World Cup qualifier against Belarus tonight, said: "Going back to Madrid is not a problem.
"Wherever the FA ask us to play isn't a problem. The players won't mind that. Everyone knows what happened last time.
"If we did go back there, it would be nice to imagine that the same kind of stuff that happened to the black players last time doesn't happen again. You remember different games for different reasons. That one was remembered for the wrong reasons, which isn't nice.
"The Bernabeu holds a lot of great memories for different players and fans across the world, but those were bad memories for us from that one international."(telegraph)
The game was scheduled to be played on Feb 11 at Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu, but the FA cited racism problems four years ago at the same stadium as grounds enough to move the match to a different venue.
Fifa fined the Spanish federation 100,000 Swiss francs (£45,000) after England's Shaun Wright-Phillips, Ashley Cole, Rio Ferdinand, Jermain Defoe and Jermaine Jenas were racially abused on England's last visit in 2004.
But the 21-year-old Arsenal midfielder does not think England as a whole sees the Spanish as racists.
"I don't know if racism is the word," said Fabregas, who has won 35 caps for Spain. "I had not yet broken into the Spanish team for that game four years ago, but a good friend and teammate of mine, Cole, played with England and he felt hurt.
"The players may have returned to England annoyed, but I do not think we have got to the point where Spaniards are viewed as racists. I don't think we are – it is a bit extreme.
"It is necessary to reduce the importance of this charge because in football the fans are always going to support the team and be behind us."
Fabio Capello and Rio Ferdinand have already said they would be happy to play England's friendly at the Bernabeu.
England defender Ferdinand, who is preparing for their World Cup qualifier against Belarus tonight, said: "Going back to Madrid is not a problem.
"Wherever the FA ask us to play isn't a problem. The players won't mind that. Everyone knows what happened last time.
"If we did go back there, it would be nice to imagine that the same kind of stuff that happened to the black players last time doesn't happen again. You remember different games for different reasons. That one was remembered for the wrong reasons, which isn't nice.
"The Bernabeu holds a lot of great memories for different players and fans across the world, but those were bad memories for us from that one international."(telegraph)
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