Getafe President Ángel Torres has spoken out in defense of Nigerian midfielder Chrisantus Uche, following the player’s claims of racial abuse in a recent interview.
Uche, who joined Getafe from third-tier side AD Ceuta FC during the summer transfer window, has quickly made an impact at the club, scoring on his debut and featuring in their recent 1-0 loss to Barcelona.
However, after the Barcelona match, Uche opened up about his experiences in Spain’s top flight, including incidents of racial abuse. The 21-year-old’s comments caught attention, but Torres responded by downplaying the situation, citing Uche’s limited grasp of Spanish as a factor.
In an interview with Sport, Torres said, “He doesn’t understand. How can he say that when he’s only been here a short time and doesn’t speak the language fluently? When he’s been here longer and speaks Spanish, he can express himself more clearly. Let’s hope the relevant committees understand this.”
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Torres went on to criticize the nature of the interview, implying that the journalist who questioned Uche may have pushed him into making statements he didn’t fully comprehend. “I don’t want to justify him entirely, but someone who doesn’t speak Spanish well and has a microphone stuck in front of them might say things they don’t fully grasp. The journalist asking those questions should have been more careful, and our press officers should have been there to prevent any misunderstanding.”
The Getafe president acknowledged that Uche’s remarks were unfortunate but insisted that the young player was not entirely at fault, attributing the situation to a combination of inexperience and language barriers. “I’ll talk to him and listen to the interview. I’ll tell him he was mistaken, but this doesn’t justify his comments about referees or anyone else. However, the question posed to him was not appropriate for a player who has only just arrived.”
Torres’ remarks come amid growing scrutiny of how football clubs and officials handle racial abuse in Spain, an issue that has gained significant attention following multiple high-profile incidents involving players of African descent. Uche’s case adds to this ongoing conversation, though Torres is keen to shift the focus back to Uche’s integration into the team and the language challenges he faces.
Despite the controversy, Uche’s early performances for Getafe have been promising, and the club will hope that the focus can soon return to his development on the pitch.
